The Apprentice Monarch
by CarsWorldFan
Summary: Born into the Royal Family of Caronia, Prince Christopher has always done his duty. But his first encounter with war shakes him out of his fairy-tale lifestyle, leaving him depressed with his lot in life. But things begin to change when he encounters a beautiful mystery princess deep in the forest... Set before, during and after the main events of the 2015 live-action film.
1. Chapter 1 - Homecoming Prince

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 1 – Homecoming Prince

A thin trail of dust rose above the trees as a long column of battle-weary and travel-worn soldiers and cavalrymen made their way slowly along the dusty road that lead to the township of Kingscliffe, in the small and virtually insignificant Kingdom of Caronia. The division was led by a handsome young man, who couldn't have been more than nineteen years of age, astride a gorgeous black charger. Blue, green and gold uniforms and flags identified the division as being from Caronia.

Cresting the hill overlooking the township, the young man halted his horse, and he turned to look at the man who'd halted his horse alongside his. The second man was Angus, the Captain of the Guard, and the young man's childhood friend.

"Why have we stopped, Your Highness?" Angus asked.

"I like the view from up here," the young man replied quietly. Prince Christopher of Caronia, known to his closest friends and family simply as Kit, was the much loved son and only child of the elderly King Frederick. His mother had died when he was only three years of age, and because of that, he was entirely devoted to his father.

Kit shifted his weight in the saddle to ease his aching legs. "We've spent the past six months fighting for the Kingdom, and now... We're almost home."

"Yes. Now, stop daydreaming. I know the soldiers are keen to return to their families, and I'm looking forward to a hot bath, a warm meal and a soft bed!"

Kit laughed. "Then we'd better hurry!"

Mischievously, Kit urged his horse into a canter, and the division surged forwards, charging down the road. The Prince's eagerness to be home was contagious, and soon everyone was hurrying to get home as quickly as possible.

…

Inside the palace, Gregory, the Grand Duke, watched the approaching division from the window of his sitting room. He breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw the division's familiar colours. From the number of soldiers he could see, the division seemed to have suffered very little loss during the campaign. He couldn't see who was leading the division, but he hoped it was Prince Christopher. Letters had been few and far between during the campaign, so the fate of the division hadn't been known until now. King Frederick had taken ill two months earlier with an unknown ailment, and he knew that the loss of Prince Christopher would likely kill his master. Perhaps the fear of losing his son had brought on the illness, or perhaps it was just old age. Whatever the reason, the King wanted his frail condition kept quiet. Diplomatically, it could be very distressing if other Kingdoms found out. On that point, Gregory agreed with him.

Grabbing a pair of binoculars off a nearby table, Gregory focussed on the leader as they slowed down to pass through the township. Cursing under his breath, Gregory had to wait until the division had started to reappear from amongst the buildings. Then, he focussed on the leader again.

"Yes! It's definitely him!" he said to himself. Satisfied, he put the binoculars back, before making his way to King Frederick's bedchamber.

Even since he'd fallen ill, the King had been forced to spend most of his time in his bedchamber. Fretting over the fate of his beloved son had done little to help him recover. Gregory knew that his news would come as a great relief to the King.

"Come in," the King called upon hearing the Grand Duke's knock.

Gregory entered the room quietly. "Your Majesty? I have some news for you."

"Yes?"

"The division has returned."

King Frederick sat up, fear etched in his face. "And?"

"Prince Christopher is leading the division."

The King breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Are you sure?"

Gregory hesitated before answering, "Positive, sir. I saw his colours."

"You don't sound very confident."

"It is difficult to be positive of anything when viewed from a distance."

"True." The King gestured to his valets to come and help him dress. "I'll meet you downstairs."

"Very good, sir." Bowing, the Grand Duke retreated from the room.

…

Having left most of the division to unite with their families in town, Kit rode the last half mile or so towards the palace mostly at a gallop. He was glad to be home at last. He just wanted to forget the horrors of the last six months, but he knew that would never happen. While the memories would diminish over time, he would never forget the valiant men they'd lost.

"Your Highness!" Angus admonished as his tired horse struggled to keep up with the Prince's.

Seeing the sweat coming from his horse's shoulders, Kit reluctantly reined him in, slowing him to a fast trot.

"I know you're keen to get home, and your horse is too, but please show some decorum."

Kit exhaled deeply. "You're always there to correct me, aren't you, Captain?"

"Sometimes, I look the other way. Unlike some people."

"You mean the Grand Duke?"

"You said it, not me."

Kit chuckled. He always preferred Angus' company over the Grand Duke's. The Grand Duke was very rigid in his beliefs and ideas, whereas Angus was much more lenient and prepared to break with tradition for the sake of happiness. Angus had been brought to Caronia as a child, to be a servant and companion to the motherless Prince, but his loyalty had gained the King's trust and respect, which was rewarded with promotions and honours. Now, as Captain of the Guard, he was the Prince's unofficial bodyguard, confidant and advisor. That was far harder than it sounded. Prince Christopher wasn't the easiest person to guard and advise. He was often restless, and once he'd set his mind to something, it was near impossible to make him change it.

Upon their arrival at the foot of the palace steps, Kit, Angus and those left with them dismounted. Stablehands took possession of the horses. Then, Kit and Angus walked up the long flight of steps leading up to the palace forecourt. The other men headed off in various directions, heading to other areas of the palace grounds.

When Kit reached the top of the steps, he saw the front door of the palace being opened in anticipation of his arrival. Striding confidently across the forecourt, Kit saw the Grand Duke emerge from the doorway, followed by his father. The breath caught in Kit's throat. His father looked so pale and fragile. It was as though he'd aged ten years in the six months he'd been away.

"Welcome home, Your Highness," the Grand Duke said sincerely once Kit and Angus had reached the doorway.

"Thank you, Grand Duke. It's good to be home at last."

King Frederick stepped forwards, and he pulled Kit into a long awaited embrace. "It's wonderful to have you back safely at last, Kit."

Kit smiled. His father nearly always called 'Kit'. It had been his mother's pet name for him, and after she'd died, his father had continued calling him by that name as a way of remembering her.

"Thank you, father. How are you?"

"To be honest, I've been better. I worried about you every single day, hoping that you'd stay safe. Stand back and let me get a good look at you… Yes, you've hardly changed at all. You're a little more tanned, perhaps, but that'll soon change. Come inside, and freshen up. Then we can talk. You too, Captain. I want a full report on all the battles."

Kit flinched. It was only subtle, but from the Grand Duke's expression, Kit knew he'd seen it.

…

A few hours later, Kit was dozing on his soft, cosy bed, having bathed and changed into a brand new set of clothes. His valets were quietly moving about the room, carrying out their duties without disturbing their exhausted master.

Someone knocked softly on the closed door. It was the Grand Duke. He entered the room in a manner that seemed to suggest that he owned the place. "The King wants to see the Prince immediately," he announced.

"You'll have to wake him yourself then," one of the valets replied quietly. "He gave orders not to be awakened, unless there's an emergency, of course."

With an indifferent grunt, Gregory went over to the grand green and gold canopy bed. He paused for a moment, looking down at the Prince. He looked so peaceful; it was a shame to wake him up. Gregory cleared his throat. "Your Highness? The King wants to see you."

Kit remained asleep. Frowning, Gregory decided to break protocol by giving the sleeping Prince a small nudge. That did the trick. Groaning sleepily, Kit stirred.

"Your Highness?"

"What is it, Grand Duke?" Kit asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"The King wants to see you immediately."

Propping himself up on one elbow, Kit glowered at the Grand Duke. "You woke me up just to tell me that?"

"It was an order, Your Highness."

Sighing heavily with annoyance, Kit sat up, and he pulled on his boots. "Lead the way."

Escorted by the Grand Duke and two guards, Kit made his way to the Audience Chamber, where his father, Angus, and numerous Generals were waiting for him. Kit slumped his shoulders. They were there to discuss how the war had gone. It was the last thing Kit wanted to do right now.

Angus and the Generals stood up in unison as Kit entered the room. They sat down again once Kit and the Grand Duke were seated.

"Sorry I'm late, father," Kit said. He glared at the Grand Duke. "I gave orders not to be disturbed."

The King waved a hand, dismissing Kit's comment. "Now that we're all here, let's make a start. First, we need to write up a list of all the soldiers who perished."

"That's already been done, father," Kit said. He nodded to Angus, who handed over a file.

"We lost a total of 1,458 men," Angus added.

Kit lowered and shook his head, disgusted and saddened. His father had sent him to war to wake him up from his daydreams and to knock some sense into him, but it had had the opposite effect. The things he'd seen had changed him forever. Gone was the carefree, innocent boy he'd been when he'd left for war. Now, he was remorseful and thoughtful. His demeanour wasn't missed by the Grand Duke.

"With your permission, father, I'd like to personally write condolence letters to all of the families of those who died," Kit said quietly without looking up. The Grand Duke scoffed at his request.

"Nonsense! We have never sent condolence letters! War is a part of life, and those who fight know the risks it entails."

Kit looked up, staring straight at the Grand Duke. "But what about the families?" he protested. "I need to be sure that none of them will suffer anything worse than grief. I need to know that, financially, they'll all be okay."

"That is their concern! Not yours!"

Kit stood up abruptly, knocking his chair over in the process. "It is my concern! You did not fight with those men, and you were not there with them, holding them when they…" His voice caught for a moment, making his hesitate. "…when they died…"

Unintimidated, the Grand Duke leaned back in his chair. "Your Highness seems to have become rather too sentimental."

"Rather sentiment than a cynic," Angus muttered.

Fury flashed in Kit's eyes. Turning, he started to storm out of the room.

"Kit?" the King called out weakly.

Pausing, Kit turned back around just in time to see the King tumble out of his chair, hitting floor heavily.

"FATHER!" Kit yelled, rushing over and kneeling at the King's side. He gently shook him by the shoulder.

King Frederick was unresponsive.

 **This is my very first Cinderella FanFic, so I hope you all enjoy reading this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Please be kind to me in your reviews! I greatly appreciate all feedback. Thank you.**


	2. Chapter 2 - A Taste of Freedom

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 2 – A Taste of Freedom

Kit paced anxiously outside his father's bedchamber. The royal physician, Dr Magnuson, was with the King, but he'd sent everyone, save for the King's valets, out of the room. Kit had been very distressed to leave his father, but he knew better than to disobey Dr Magnuson. After all, the good doctor had been the royal physician since long before he'd been born. As a boy, he'd disobeyed Dr Magnuson's orders once by only pretending to take some medicine prescribed for him. When the physician had caught onto what he was doing, him, his nurse had given him a thorough hiding. Since then, Kit had had a healthy respect for Dr Magnuson.

Angus and Gregory watched him closely, analysing the Prince's every move. They both knew exactly what the Prince's mood was, simply by watching his behaviour. The pacing and agitation in his movements was a strong sign that he was stressed, and extremely worried for his father. And who could blame him? Kit loved his father more than anyone else in the world, and he never dared to think of what life would be like without him.

Finally, the doors to the bedchamber opened, and Dr Magnuson walked out, carrying his Gladstone bag filled with his medical equipment. Kit immediately seized him by the upper arm.

"How is he?" he demanded to know.

Dr Magnuson glanced down at the Prince's hand that was binding his arm tightly. He cleared his throat. "Your Highness, if you let go of my arm, I'll tell you what you need to know."

Kit promptly did so. "Sorry."

The physician rubbed his bruised arm. "You clearly don't know your own strength, do you? Come with me. We need to talk."

As Kit followed Dr Magnuson down the hallway, Angus and Gregory fell into step behind them. Sensing that they were being followed, Dr Magnuson turned to address them both.

"I'd like to talk to the Prince alone, if I may."

"As you wish," Angus said, bowing slightly. The Grand Duke just frowned. He didn't like it when others knew things he didn't. However, he wisely decided not to protest the physician's wishes. He suspected that he wanted to tell the Prince about the King's condition, and it was probably best for them to be alone for that.

Once Kit and Dr Magnuson were alone inside a small drawing room, they sat down opposite each other.

"There's no easy way to tell you this," the physician began, "so I'll just tell it to you straight. Your father has been suffering from bouts of ill health for the past couple of months. I haven't been able to make a proper diagnosis, but I believe it is a disease of the heart. I am doing the best I can for him, but he mustn't have any sudden shocks, or it could kill him instantly. The best thing for him right now is plenty of bed rest, and no stress. That wasn't easy while you were away at war. He worried about you every single day, since you're all he has left of your mother. But now that you're back, it should take a huge weight off him and, hopefully, his condition will start to improve."

Exhaling deeply, Kit rested his head in his hands. _Father has been seriously ill for two months?_ "Why didn't anyone tell me?" he asked aloud.

"He wanted it kept quiet, for the sake of the Kingdom. So far, only you and the Grand Duke know the true state of his condition. Not even his valets know as much as you do. I'm telling you this now so that you can be prepared."

Kit snapped his head up. "Prepared? You mean…?"

Dr Magnuson nodded sadly. "The King's days are numbered. I don't know how long he's got, but he could go at any moment. I'm sorry. I just wish I could do more for him."

Kit nodded despondently. "Thank you for telling me. I know it wasn't easy for you. May I see him, please?"

"Only if you promise not to excite him."

Nodding in agreement, Kit left the drawing room. Moments later, he was sitting on the edge of his father's bed, holding his aged and withered hand fondly.

"Father?"

The King opened his eyes. "Kit… I'm so glad you've come…" He tightened his grip around Kit's hand.

"I'm sorry I yelled at the Grand Duke. I didn't mean to upset you. I didn't know you were so ill."

"That's the way I wanted it to be. But I suppose it's better for you to know the truth now. You still have a lot of training to undergo before you'll be ready to take my place as King. I've spoken to the Grand Duke, and he's agreed to take you under his wing."

Kit was shocked. "But father…! The Grand Duke and I don't really get along."

"But he knows how the Kingdom is run. He will advise you well, but you need to listen to him. Promise me that you will."

Kit hesitated. "Father, I have to rely on my own conscience. The Grand Duke may know how the Kingdom is run, but he isn't flexible when it comes to change."

"Kit… Please…"

Kit sighed tiredly. "All right then, father. If that is your wish, I will submit to the Grand Duke's tuition."

"Good. I'll let him know. You'd better get some rest now. You sound tired, and it's getting late."

"Yes, father." Leaning over, Kit kissed his father on the forehead. "Goodnight."

"'Night, Kit."

…

A few hours later, Kit lay in bed, tossing and turning restlessly. The news of his father's illness, and then the agreement he'd made with his father had taken away his appetite, so he'd gone to bed without eating more than a few dry crackers. Now, despite his exhaustion, he couldn't settle down to sleep. A light rain was falling outside, and normally that would send him off to sleep, but not tonight. Too many thoughts plagued his mind; many of them troubling and nightmarish.

Finally, Kit gave up trying to sleep. Since sleep had obviously escaped him for now, he lit a candle. After wrapping a dressing gown around himself, he left his bedchamber, and he walked the length of the palace to the portrait room. Once inside, he set the candle down on a small table directly below his favourite portrait of his mother. He'd only been three years old when she'd died from an acute fever. What little he knew about her came from stories told to him by his father.

"I don't know what to do, mother," he whispered as he lovingly fingered the outline of his mother's face. "I know everyone expects me to do my duty, but…" He exhaled heavily. "So many died. So many good, honest men died under my command. Many families have lost their fathers, sons, husbands and brothers. I know everyone says it wasn't my fault, but I know, indirectly, it was. If you'd still been alive, you would never have let father send me away to war, and then I would never have learned what it really means to rule a Kingdom. It means seeing others sacrificing themselves for you, and always worrying about what our so-called enemies are doing. I don't want to be that kind of ruler. I don't want to be a King at all, really. It hurts too much… You're not talking to me tonight, mother. Have I been away too long? I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…"

Tears of grief tumbled down Kit's face as he poured his heart out to his mother's portrait. He'd never felt so lost or helpless before. Before the war; before his innocence had been lost, he'd thought of war as a glorious thing. Now, that image was gone forever. All he saw now was his men, fighting to protect him whenever the enemy got too close, usually at the cost of their own lives. And all he could ask himself was 'why'. Why did so many have to die? Why did they bother to protect him? Why was everyone so loyal to him? He'd never done anything for them, and yet they were willing to die for him. He shook his head to clear the tears. None of it made any sense to him.

Disappointed and despondent, Kit picked up the candle, and he made his way back to his bedchamber. One thing was certain; he wouldn't be able to sleep, so he might as well get started on those letters of condolence.

…

In the pre-dawn light the next morning, Kit made his way down to the stables. He'd only been back home for less than twenty-four hours, and already he was finding the confines of the palace stifling. He just had to get away from it all. If he was lucky, and his plan worked, he might get a few precious hours of freedom all to himself. It was a rather chilly and windy morning, so he was wearing a heavy cloak to protect himself from the cold. As he walked down the centre aisle of the stables, he saw his brown Hunter, Triton, poke his head out of his stall. Before the horse could nicker a greeting, Kit gave him a friendly pat.

"Quiet, Triton. I want to get out of here without being noticed." He glanced up at the loft above him, knowing that that was where the junior stablehands slept. The slightest noise could easily wake them, and then his plan would be ruined.

Going inside the tack room, Kit grabbed Triton's saddle and bridle. Minutes later, he had the horse saddled and ready to go. Taking some scraps of cloth out of his pocket, Kit secured them around each of Triton's hooves, to stop the iron horseshoes making a noise on the cobblestones. Once that was done, Kit was able to silently lead his horse out of the stables without waking the stablehands. When he was a safe distance away, Kit removed the scraps of cloth, tossing them into a bush. Then, he mounted smoothly, urging Triton into a steady canter.

Kit's final obstacle was getting past the front palace gate. There was no way the guards would let him out on his own, so he'd have to avoid the gate. Instead, he rode Triton towards the six-foot high, solid stone wall that surrounded the entire palace precinct. Triton was a bold jumper, but it was still a huge ask for him. Kit hoped that nobody was on the other side of the wall. He'd hate to be responsible for hurting anyone. However, at this hour of the morning, it didn't seem likely.

Taking a deep breath, Kit aimed Triton at the wall. Realising what his master wanted him to do, Triton gathered himself for the jump.

Miraculously, they cleared it, although Triton did scrape his back hooves against the top of the wall. Kit slowed Triton as they landed, to help steady him, and then they took off, galloping flat out alongside the wall, heading towards the road, and freedom. However, to get there, he still had to go past the front gate, and the guards standing there on duty.

As soon as the guards saw Kit race past them on his horse, they started yelling for him to stop and come back.

"Alert the Captain of the Guard!" Kit heard one of them shout before he galloped out of earshot.

"Good boy, Triton!" Kit said to his faithful mount. He could only imagine the chaos that would ensue once Angus was told that he'd escaped, but for a few hours at least, he could sample the joys of freedom. Giving Triton his head, they raced away towards the forest.

…

"What do you mean 'the Prince is gone'?" Angus demanded as he pulled on his jacket. He'd been awakened abruptly by an anxious guard telling him that his sole charge had gone and done a runner from the palace.

"The stablehands heard nothing, sir," the guard reported. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out four dirty pieces of cloth. "These were found tossed carelessly into a bush in the stable yard, sir. We suspect he used them to silence his horse's hooves. The guards at the front gate say that they definitely saw him gallop past them. He was headed towards the forest."

Cursing in his mind, Angus groaned in disbelief. He had to hand it to the Prince though. He was smart, and he knew how to out-manoeuvre the guards.

"How did he get out of the gate?" Angus asked as he and the guard made their way outside to the forecourt.

"He didn't," another guard said, coming over. "He jumped the wall, over there."

Angus' eyes widened in amazement. _He jumped a six foot wall? We need to get him a new horse; preferably one that doesn't know how to jump._

"I want the retinue saddled and ready to ride in five minutes!" Angus ordered. Then, under his breath, he added, "Let's hope we can find him before the King finds out, or worse." He hated to think what could happen to the Prince.

As soon as the retinue was ready, Angus mounted his own horse, and they set off in hot pursuit of the Prince.

…

Meanwhile, Kit had slowed Triton down to a steady trot. He was now on the other side of the forest, having ridden at a gallop for most of the way. He slowed down to a walk, giving Triton a chance to catch his breath. The sun was well and truly up now and, despite the chilly start to the morning, it looked like it would be a fine day. Kit removed his cloak, placing it over Triton's wither and tucking it under the straps of the breastplate to keep it secure. He looked around at where he was. There wasn't much to interest him out here. A few houses here and there, but mostly just lonely roads and patches of forest. He wasn't afraid though. Why should he be? He always carried a sword, and now that he'd had first-hand combat experience, any robber would be a fool to try and attack him. That thought made Kit hold his head up with a new-found sense of independence. He was feeling very proud and sure of himself.

There was another house not too far down the road from him. From what he could see over the stone wall, this house was grander than most. It even had a tower.

Hearing a voice on the other side of the wall, Kit halted Triton. The noble horse lowered his head, grateful for a chance to rest. Kit listened closely. The voice he could hear was feminine, and quite musical.

"Really, Gus Gus! You should share that with Jacqueline. It's very greedy of you to keep it all to yourself."

Kit licked his lips, suddenly realising that he was rather thirsty. But the girl's voice kept him enthralled. He continued listening.

"Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly, lavender's green… When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen… Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so? 'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so…"

Kit felt his heart pounding in his chest as the song faded, and the girl returned inside the house. Whoever owned that voice had set his emotions racing. _Who is she?_

A loud whinny broke the silence around him. Hearing the resounding sound of many horses approaching from behind him, Kit twisted around in the saddle to see who was coming. A full retinue from the palace was approaching him, led by Angus.

"There he is!" one of the guards shouted triumphantly.

 _Damn it!_ Kit thought, and his promptly tried to urge Triton back into a gallop. The tired horse rebelled for a moment, half rearing and squealing in protest. But then, he obediently took off at a gallop up the road, racing away from the retinue.

"Wait, Your Highness!" Angus shouted.

But Kit wasn't ready to return to the palace yet. Leaning forwards over Triton's powerful neck, he gave the horse his head again, urging him to run as fast as he could. Behind him, he could hear a commotion as the retinue came racing after him.

Further down the road, Kit saw a flash of blue, green and gold on his left. Too late, he realised that the retinue had split into two, and one half had taken another, much shorter, road. Seeing a T intersection up ahead, Kit asked Triton for more speed, in the vain hope of overtaking the guards.

He almost made it.

Just as Triton reached the intersection, one of the guards from the split group managed to stop his horse directly across Kit's path, blocking him. Reluctantly, Kit pulled back on the reins, and Triton skidded to a stop, nearly unseating him. Triton snorted in dismay, reflecting Kit's feelings perfectly. It took just seconds for the rest of the guards from the split group to surround him. They circled him, the way sharks do whenever they're sizing up a potential meal. Feeling desperate, Kit looked for a way out, but it was no use. He'd been caught. He shivered slightly. _Once again, the walls are closing in on me… Damn it! I was only free for a couple of hours! At least I got to hear that girl with the beautiful voice…_

Kit was still breathing heavily from exertion when Angus arrived with the rest of the retinue. Kit glared crossly at the Captain, and he stared straight back at him. Their strained silence made the guards feel awkward. Finally, Angus spoke.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?"

 _I was until you showed up_. "Perfectly, Captain."

"Would you like a drink?"

Kit started to shake his head, but Angus held out a flask to him anyway. Kit drank from it, gulping down the refreshingly cool water. Once he'd had enough, he handed the flask back to Angus, wiping his gloved hand across his mouth to remove the excess moisture.

"Feeling better now?" Angus asked him kindly.

"Yes, thank you," Kit whispered.

Angus nodded. "Then let's go."

Sighing despondently, Kit turned Triton around. Angus could see the sadness in his expression. He'd obviously been hoping to have some more time on his own.

 _Poor Kit. He might be surrounded by gold, jewels and marble, but in many ways he's little more than a prisoner. I'm so glad I wasn't born royal. A life burdened with duties and responsibilities doesn't suit everyone._

The retinue fell into position, still completely surrounding the Prince, ready to escort him back to the palace. Kit hung his head, looking totally defeated. His demeanour tore at Angus' heart. He couldn't help but feel sorry for Kit, but he also had his job to do, and that job was protecting the Prince at all costs. Even if that cost was the Prince's freedom.


	3. Chapter 3 - Kit's Training Begins

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 3 – Kit's Training Begins

Kit just wanted to scream with frustration. It was a few hours later, and luncheon was being served in the palace's dining hall. Kit was there, along with Angus, the Grand Duke and the King, who was feeling well enough to eat at the table now that Kit was home safely. However, the Grand Duke had done nothing but talk about how good the battle victories were for the Kingdom, and how he intended to meet with the First Minister later that day to discuss possible trade deals with the conquered lands. The King just let the Grand Duke talk. He was watching Kit closely, noticing how his son was merely toying with his food and not eating any of it.

"You're supposed to eat that, son," King Frederick said gently when the Grand Duke had paused long enough to eat another mouthful of his own food.

Sighing heavily, Kit looked despondently at the King. "I'm not really hungry, father."

King Frederick frown with concern. That wasn't like Kit. Before he'd gone away to war, Kit had always eaten his meals like a starving puppy. _I suppose the realities of war shook him a lot harder than I ever imagined they would_. "I don't suppose you'd prefer some dessert instead then?"

Kit shook his head slowly. Gregory cleared his throat.

"You'd better come with me when I go to see the First Minister, Your Highness," he said, hoping to produce more than just a few words from the Prince. Kit sighed wearily.

"If I must," he mumbled.

Angus watched the exchange quietly. He knew exactly what Kit was thinking about. _You need to learn to block it out. There's no point in dwelling on what you can't change._

Gregory picked up a bread roll. After breaking it in half, he popped a bit inside his mouth. "Where did you go this morning, Your Highness?"

Kit snapped his head up, startled by the Grand Duke's question.

"I saw you return with the retinue," Gregory pressed. "Where did you go?"

For a moment, Kit froze, panicked. He didn't know what to say, but a slight nod from Angus reminded him of the answer they'd agreed upon on their ride back to the palace.

"I went for an early morning ride. There's nothing wrong with that, is there, father?"

Smiling slightly, the King shook his head and mouthed the word 'no'.

Gregory frowned sternly. "You should have told me before you left. I need to know where you are at all times."

"I went with him, Grand Duke," Angus supplied. "As Captain of the Guard, I was able to ensure his safety. Nothing happened."

"And when all is said and done, that's all that matters," the King added, winking at his son.

Kit looked back down at his uneaten plate of food. He wondered if his father suspected what had really happened that morning. If he did, he wasn't letting on.

…

It was early evening by the time Kit returned to the palace with the Grand Duke, having spent the entire afternoon discussing politics with the First Minister and members of the Privy Council. He then joined his father for dinner. This time, he was hungry enough to eat most of his food, much to his father's relief.

As soon as he was alone in his sitting room, Kit lay down on a chaise longue, flopping an arm over his forehead, and he closed his eyes. Unfortunately, his solitude only lasted a moment, because Angus entered the room. Keeping his eyes closed, Kit didn't move from his present position.

"How was it?" Angus asked softly.

"Do you want an honest answer, or the answer I'm expected to give?"

Angus sat down in a nearby armchair. "I hope you're always honest with me, Kit."

"In that case, it was as boring as hell."

Angus chuckled quietly, until he saw that Kit still hadn't moved. He sighed heavily. "All right, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing," Kit replied, an air of tiredness in his voice.

Angus decided to probe further. "How much sleep did you have last night?"

Kit glanced up at Angus, but then he closed his eyes again.

"My guess would be 'none'."

Kit exhaled deeply with frustration. "I couldn't sleep. And, I don't know why."

"Why didn't you send for me?"

Opening his eyes, Kit sat up. "Did it ever occur to you that sometimes I just want to be left alone?"

"Since when?"

"Since…" Kit lowered his head, looking down at his hands and the floor. "Since the war," he finished quietly. He shivered visibly. "I can't sleep at night, because that's when the nightmares return. There are so many images I try to block out when I'm awake, but they always return to me in my nightmares. Before we left, the worst nightmares I had were the ones where my tutor would cane me over some silly little misdemeanour. Now, those nightmares are merely dreams."

Angus nodded, completely understanding. There were many things he'd seen in battles that he wished he could un-see. And un-hear. But he'd been to war many times before, and now those sights, sounds and smells were nothing new. But he knew how the Prince was feeling now. Angus' first war season had been horrendous. It had taken him months to start moving on from it.

"It gets easier with time and experience," he offered quietly.

"I don't see how. Why must we go to war anyway? What does it really achieve, other than the deaths of countless good, hard-working young men?"

Angus frowned. He'd never thought of war in that way before, and he struggled to find an answer. "Diplomacy doesn't always work," he finally said. It was a weak answer, but it was an answer nonetheless. Not surprisingly, Kit didn't look convinced.

Kit decided to change the topic. "Have you heard that father has ordered me to finish my education under the Grand Duke?"

"I did hear about that, yes."

Kit raised an eyebrow. It was his way of asking 'what do you think about that?'

"I think there are some things you can still learn from the Grand Duke, Kit," Angus told him kindly. "But you mustn't let him control you. You are your own person, and nobody can tell you what to do. Not even your father can force you do something against your will."

Kit smiled slightly. "Thank you, Captain. I needed to hear that."

"Would you like something to help you sleep tonight? I know you don't like taking medicine as a rule, but if you're going to start matching wits with the Grand Duke, you'll need to be at the top of your game."

Kit nodded thoughtfully. Right now, he'd give anything to have a peaceful night's sleep. "I'll have a glass of warm milk as well," he decided.

"I'll be back soon," Angus promised. "Would you like me to send your valets in?"

"Yes, thank you."

By the time Angus returned, Kit was snuggled down beneath the cosy blankets on his bed. He sat up when he saw Angus carrying a small silver tray with the glass of warm milk on it. Dr Magnuson had followed Angus into the bedchamber.

"I understand that Your Highness hasn't been sleeping well lately," Dr Magnuson said with an air of concern.

"Just nightmares," Kit replied awkwardly. "I'm fine otherwise."

"Are you sure?"

Kit nodded. Dr Magnuson opened his Gladstone bag, and he took out a small bottle filled with little white pills.

"I'll give you one sleeping pill tonight," the physician said. "Let me know if it doesn't work."

"What would happen then?" Kit wondered.

"I'll have to examine you more thoroughly to find out the cause of your insomnia. Hopefully, it won't come to that." He shook one of the pills out of the bottle, and he handed it to Kit.

Kit looked at the pill disdainfully. He hated swallowing pills. It was something he'd never really been able to master. Angus handed over the glass of milk. Kit popped the pill into his mouth, pushing it to the back of his mouth with his tongue. Then, he drank some of the milk. He tried to avoid gagging as he struggled to swallow the pill, but he managed to get it to go down. Kit then drank the rest of the milk before he settled back down to sleep.

Once Angus and Dr Magnuson were certain that the Prince had started to doze off, they left the room, leaving the valets to put out the candles.

Gregory was waiting outside the Prince's bedchamber when they emerged. He followed them as they walked down the hallway, away from the royal family's private rooms.

"I heard that you'd been sent for," Gregory said to Dr Magnuson. "Is anything wrong with the Prince?"

"He's just been having trouble sleeping, that's all," Dr Magnuson answered. "It's a common problem. We all suffer from insomnia at some point in our lives. However, it wouldn't hurt for him to get out of the palace more during the day; at least until he settles back into his old routine."

"The realities of war really shook him," Angus said sadly. "I know we all did our best to prepare him for what it would be like, but you can never really know until you've experienced it for yourself."

"From what I heard, the Prince showed tremendous bravery on the battlefield," Gregory mused.

Pausing mid-stride, Angus glanced back over his shoulder at the Grand Duke. "You did little to help him by pretending that war was a glorious thing. I don't consider thrusting a spear through someone else's heart glorious, and neither does the Prince."

"If it was the enemy's heart, then it is glorious," Gregory counted.

Angus frowned sternly at the Grand Duke. "Tell me, Grand Duke, how many battles have you been in where you actually led the charge?"

Gregory looked away, and Angus knew he'd won the argument. He gave a shallow bow in the Grand Duke's direction.

"I bid you goodnight then."

…

The sound of someone drawing back the curtains woke Kit the following morning. Opening his eyes, he saw one of his valets tying back the curtains. Rolling over onto his back, Kit looked up at the majestic embroidered canopy that hung over his bed. _I guess the sleeping pill did work. That was the best night's sleep I've had in months! And I'm actually hungry now too! Now, what's for breakfast?_

A valet lifted the cloche off the Prince's breakfast tray. The fragrant smell of freshly cooked bacon and eggs wafted throughout the room, answering Kit's question.

After Kit had devoured his breakfast, and been dressed for the day, he went to find his father. However, before he could, the Grand Duke caught up with him in the hallway.

"Ah! There you are, Your Highness!"

 _Where else would I be?_ "Did you want something, Grand Duke?"

"Yes, as a matter-of-fact, I wanted to take you through some diplomatic papers this morning."

"But I…" Kit began, but then he caught himself. After all, he'd promised his father he'd at least listen to the Grand Duke. _I can listen, but I never promised to agree with him._ "I suppose I should, considering I barely even know what a diplomatic paper looks like."

Gregory sneered. "Excellent! Come this way then." _This is going to be all too easy! If I can just gain his trust, and become completely essential to him, it shouldn't be too difficult to manipulate the boy once he becomes King. And, given the King's condition, I shouldn't have too long to wait…_

 **Thank you for the reviews I've received so far! They're very much appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4 - A Nightmare

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 4 – A Nightmare

"Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly, lavender's green… When I am king, dilly, dilly, You shall be queen. Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so? 'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so…"

Kit was lazily sitting astride on the swing inside his late mother's secret garden, quietly singing the words of the famous lullaby, while he toyed with a red rose that he'd picked earlier. The gardens were his place of sanctuary, because they were the only place where his father and the Grand Duke never ventured. And the secret garden was never visited by anyone except for himself. Even Angus didn't know it existed.

It had been over a week since Kit had returned home from war, and although his physical exhaustion had now been dealt with, thanks largely to Dr Magnuson, he was now mentally exhausted by the Grand Duke's intense training. Every day, the Grand Duke had been ordering Kit to read through piles of documentation; very little of which Kit actually understood. Several times he'd tried to discuss things over with his father, but the King hadn't been interested in hearing about diplomatic affairs.

"If you have any issues, discuss them with the Grand Duke," he'd told Kit only that morning. Kit's response had been to hide in the gardens so he could think things through without being disturbed.

Halfway through singing the lullaby, Kit suddenly wondered why he was even singing it. _Where have I heard it recently? Oh, I can't remember. I suppose it doesn't matter. It's a silly song anyway. I have more important things to think about. Like that trade agreement with Granida. I really should've paid better attention to my mathematics studies. I can't figure out which Kingdom will be better off with it; them or us. One thing's for sure. I won't let the Grand Duke get the better of me. I'll keep stalling until I can figure it out. Maybe Angus could help me. He might remember what my mathematics tutor said about calculating percentages…_

The sound of approaching footsteps made Kit stand up alertly. Looking out through one of the ivy-covered stone windows, Kit relaxed when he saw that it was only a gardener. Tossing the rose onto the grass, Kit left the secret garden, and he started to head back towards the palace. On his way, he paused to look at a sundial, so he could see what time it was.

 _Half-past four… Not as late as I would've liked, but I have been sitting out here for most of the afternoon…_

As soon as Kit stepped inside the palace, two guards fell into step behind him. Kit knew it was pointless to tell them not to follow him. They had their orders from the King, and so he couldn't counter those orders. He'd just have to put up with being stalked. _At least they don't have to follow me in the gardens._

Up ahead, Kit saw Angus coming down the hallway towards him. He breathed a small sigh of relief. _It's time to show the Grand Duke that I'm not as stupid as he seems to think._ "Captain. Can I see you for a moment, please?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

Leaving the guards standing in the doorway, Kit led Angus inside one of the palace's many sitting rooms. Kit checked to make sure they were completely alone before he spoke.

"Captain, have you heard anything about a possible trade deal with Granida?"

"Not in detail. The Grand Duke says it will be in our favour."

Kit nodded slowly and thoughtfully, but Angus sensed that the Prince wasn't happy about something.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Angus asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I've been looking at that wretched document for a week now, but I don't understand everything in it. Please, don't think I'm a fool. The way it's been written is very confusing, and it doesn't make things very clear."

"Nobody thinks you're a fool, Your Highness," Angus told him kindly. "But if it's as confusing as you say it is, then it should be re-written. You must never sign anything you don't understand."

"That's just the point, you see. _I_ can't sign it. The Grand Duke said he's going to get the King to sign it tomorrow when the delegation from Granida arrive, but I have a strong feeling that something is wrong."

"I think you're letting your dislike of the Grand Duke cloud your judgement, Your Highness," Angus said gently.

Kit breathed a small sigh of relief. "Maybe I am. But I don't trust that man."

"Maybe not, but his sole interest is in what's best for the Kingdom. He's not a bad man, Kit; he's just ambitious. He wants to be able to control you, the same way he controls the King. However, in this case, I don't believe he's doing anything untoward."

Kit nodded. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"Don't be. It never hurts to get a second opinion. May I go post the guard now?"

"What? Oh, yes, of course! Don't let me keep you from your duties."

Bowing deeply, Angus left the room, leaving Kit to ponder over what he'd just said.

 _Maybe I am letting my dislike of the Grand Duke get the better of me_ , Kit thought as he continued on his way down the endless hallways. He was heading for his father's sitting room. He barely even noticed that the guards had resumed following him again.

Kit found his father sitting at his desk, reading through some documents. The Grand Duke was sitting in a nearby armchair, reading another paper.

"Come in, Kit," the King invited when he saw his son enter the room.

"Where have you been all afternoon, Your Highness?" Gregory asked, sneering slightly behind his papers.

 _Hiding from you_. "I went for a walk."

Gregory lowered the papers. "That was a very long walk!"

"Grand Duke, please!" King Frederick interrupted. "I'm trying to concentrate, and I don't appreciate you interrogating the Prince. That's my job."

Ducking his head, Kit hid a smile from the Grand Duke. He then moved behind the desk, so he could look over the King's shoulder. Kit frowned when he saw that his father was reading through the trade deal with Granida. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't think of the right words to say.

A few minutes later, King Frederick finished reading the document, and he began putting the papers back together. "That seems very straight-forward to me, Grand Duke. I'll be happy to sign that as soon as the trade delegation gets here tomorrow."

Kit stepped backwards, stunned. _Maybe I really am stupid after all. How on earth did father understand that jumble?_

Gregory stood up. "I'm glad you appreciate my efforts in securing this trade deal, Your Majesty. May I offer a suggestion?"

The King nodded.

"Since the trade delegation will be staying here for a couple of days, I'd be happy to organise a stag hunt for them. I've heard rumours of a fourteen-point, Imperial stag lurking in the forest. It would be great fun to hunt him down."

Kit frowned. Trust the Grand Duke to think of stag hunting as 'fun'. Kit had never enjoyed blood sports, and his recent battle experience only made him loathe the idea even more.

"Perhaps the Prince would like to come along as well?" the Grand Duke suggested slyly.

"I'm afraid I have too much to do," Kit promptly replied, hoping to get out of it. But his father had other ideas.

"Doctor Magnuson told me that you need to get outside more, Kit. I think a stag hunt is an excellent idea. You've been so tense since you got back from the war season, so I'm sure it'll help you to relax a little."

"Father…" Kit began, but the King waved his hand to silence him.

"I've made my decision. You will go on that stag hunt."

Turning briskly on his heels, Kit stormed out of the room, slamming the heavy door behind him. Now, it was King Frederick's turn to frown. Puzzled, he looked at the Grand Duke.

"What's bitten him?"

Gregory shrugged. The Prince's behaviour had him confused as well. "I really can't say, Your Majesty. I would've thought he'd enjoy going for a hunt; especially since he's been cooped up inside for over a week."

"Yes…" King Frederick mused, staring at the closed door. "It is very strange…"

…

Kit hid in his sitting room for the rest of the day, refusing to leave for anything, including dinner with his father. Unfortunately, Angus was too busy finalising the palace security arrangements for the delegation from Granida, so Kit didn't have anyone to talk to. Instead, he read for a few hours, before he finally decided to go to bed.

Kit was already fast asleep when Dr Magnuson arrived to see if he needed a sleeping pill that night. The Prince had been on them for a week, and Dr Magnuson was hoping to wean him off them very soon. Seeing that the Prince was now sleeping peacefully of his own accord, Dr Magnuson left the room after only a couple of minutes.

Several hours later, when the night is at it quietest, Kit began moving around restlessly. Sweat formed on his forehead as he fought the horrific memories that had plagued him for months now…

 _Clad in a full suit of chainmail armour, and armed with a lance, sword and a shield for protection, Kit sat proudly upon his black charger, staring out across the plain that was stretched out for miles below him. Behind him, most of his army hid in the shadows of the forest. It was a tactical move. He didn't want the enemy to know just how many men he had at his disposal. He was glad they had the advantage of the high ground. For three days, they'd waited for the enemy to come charging up the hill towards them, but the enemy wasn't stupid enough to do that, and so both sides had simply played the waiting game. Then, last night, Kit, Angus and his Generals had come up with an ingenious plan, which could easily win the battle for them._

 _Kit glanced at Angus, who was mounted alongside him, wearing a similar suit of armour. "What do you think, Captain?"_

 _"_ _I think for your first deployment, you've done well. The battle plan is genius; providing the enemy fall for it. Otherwise, we could be in trouble."_

 _Kit rolled his eyes as his horse shifted beneath him in eager anticipation. "Now, you tell me!"_

 _"_ _The element of surprise is key to winning battles, Your Highness. Often, that involves a certain amount of risk. When you're ready, give the command."_

 _Nodding, Kit raised an arm. He looked over at the bugler, who blew a resounding note. That was the signal for the cavalry on both flanks to charge. Kit and Angus watched closely as the designated cavalry units galloped down the steep slope towards the enemy from both sides, lances held horizontally for the charge. The enemy was immediately thrown into confusion. They'd been keeping an eye on Kit and those with him, fully expecting the inexperienced young Prince to foolishly lead his army into a fruitless, headlong charge._

 _"_ _So far, so good," Angus muttered as the Caronian cavalry began decimating the confused enemy's cavalry. "Now, let's cut through the middle, and separate their army into two."_

 _"_ _Sounds good to me," Kit replied, feeling pleased with himself. He held up his arm again. "On my order!" he shouted loudly. As soon as Kit lowered his arm, he spurred his horse into a gallop down the steep hillside. The rest of the cavalry followed him, fanning out into a V formation as they charged directly towards the enemy._

 _Even from a distance, Kit could see the fear in the eyes of the enemy as his cavalry charged towards them. Clearly, they hadn't been expecting such a large army from Caronia, given how small the Kingdom was. The enemy's leader; a Prince only a few years older than Kit, spurred his horse into a gallop, charging straight for Kit. He foolishly ignored his advisors, who shouted for him to come back. One rode after him._

 _Kit kept his lance firmly between his right arm and his side, and he sat still in the saddle as his horse continued galloping in a straight line. The enemy's Prince was coming straight for him. Clearly, this battle would be won by whichever Prince came out of this battle alive. Years of training kicked in as Kit and the enemy Prince charged closer and closer to each other. Bracing himself against the high cantle of his saddle, Kit took aim with his lance. Instead of sitting upright in the saddle, the enemy Prince was leaning forwards, exposing a small area of flesh between his helmet and chainmail shirt. Kit aimed right for that tiny gap._

 _It was all over in seconds. Raising his shield to protect himself, Kit managed to break the enemy Prince's lance, which shattered upon impact with his shield, while at the same time, he drove his own lance straight into the enemy Prince's neck. With a strangled scream of horror, the enemy Prince tumbled from the saddle, landing directly in the path of the oncoming Caronian cavalry. He never stood a chance._

 _But Kit still had the enemy Prince's advisor to deal with. Having now lost his lance, Kit drew his two-edged sword. The advisor had his lance aimed straight at Kit's head. Ducking quickly, Kit heard the 'swish' as the lance passed directly over him. At the same time, he managed to stab the advisor in his exposed and unprotected armpit, causing the man to scream out in agony…_

The screaming continued. Kit shook himself violently, trying desperately to rid himself of the screams.

"Your Highness!"

"No!" Kit shouted.

"Kit! Wake up! You're having another nightmare!"

The screaming stopped. Gasping desperately for air, Kit opened his eyes. He was lying on his bed, with the heavy blankets disarranged all around him. Angus and Dr Magnuson were leaning over him, looking very anxious. Still panting, Kit turned his head to the left, so he wouldn't have to look at them while he tried to get his breath back.

A moment later, someone else entered the room. It was King Frederick. "What's going on in here?" he demanded to know. "What's with all the shouting?"

Kit tried to sit up, but he was too exhausted.

"The Prince was having a nightmare," Angus explained. "I heard him, even from my quarters…"

Kit groaned. Angus' rooms were on the other side of the Palace! _That means everyone inside the Palace must have heard me scream…_

Dr Magnuson reached for Kit's right hand, so he could check his pulse. Kit instinctively flinched, pulling his hand away.

"I just need to check your pulse, Your Highness," Dr Magnuson said in a soothing voice. Kit had always been a difficult patient, but Dr Magnuson had learned how to persuade him to cooperate. Slowly, Kit relaxed his arm, allowing the physician to check his pulse. _It's strong, but very fast_ , Dr Magnuson thought, frowning with concern. "How are you feeling now, Your Highness?"

"Tired," Kit muttered.

Dr Magnuson stood up to address the King. "I think he'll be all right now. I came in to give him a sleeping pill earlier, but he was already asleep then, so I decided it was best not to disturb him. He should sleep better now. I hope," he added quietly.

The Grand Duke entered the room then. "What's going on?"

"Nothing for you to be concerned with," Angus said as he helped Kit readjust his sheets and blankets.

"Yes, the excitement's over now," Dr Magnuson said firmly. "We can all go back to bed now." He turned to Angus. "Can you manage him?"

Angus nodded. Once everyone had gone, Kit placed his hand on Angus' arm. "Thank you for your help. That was the worst nightmare I've had so far!"

"What was it about this time?"

"The first battle…"

"And your attack on the enemy Prince?"

Kit nodded solemnly. "I know we won that battle, but I still feel horrible…"

Angus sat down on the edge of Kit's bed. "You can't change the past, Kit. What's done is done. It's time for you to accept that and move on from it. Your memories of what happened will fade over time. I promise."

Kit nodded sleepily, and he closed his eyes. Angus stayed with him for a few more minutes to ensure that the Prince had fallen asleep, and then he quietly left the room.

 **Thank you to those of you who have taken the time to write a review. I'd really appreciate more, because I like to know what my readers think of my work. So please, don't be afraid to say what you think. I can take constructive criticism well! Just be nice about it, please, even if you don't like my work. Not every story/genre is for everyone.**


	5. Chapter 5 - The Hunt

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs belong to me.**

Chapter 5 – The Hunt

Late the following morning, Kit and his father walked side-by-side towards the throne room to meet with the delegation from Granida. They were both dressed appropriately for the occasion and, as usual, Kit was wearing a sword on a belt around his waist. It was something his father had ordered him to do ever since Kit had learned how to use a sword correctly. That way, King Frederick wouldn't have to worry so much if Kit managed to get away from the guards; he'd at least have some way of protecting himself should the need ever arise.

For his part, Kit was glad nobody had said anything about the events of last night, although he was sure everyone was discussing it behind his back. Luckily, the Grand Duke hadn't raised the subject either, so Kit had started to relax a little.

Upon entering the antechamber to the throne room, the King sat down to rest, while the Grand Duke went to check on their guests. Kit sat down next to his father, and Angus took up his position next to the doorway.

"What's on your mind now, Kit?" the King asked quietly.

"I don't know…"

"You don't know about what?"

Kit exhaled deeply. "This trade deal. I don't know if you should sign it."

"Why not? It's in our favour."

Kit looked sceptical. "Really?"

"You read it, didn't you?"

"Several times. But… I couldn't understand it all…"

"You couldn't?"

Looking down at the ground, Kit shook his head. "I must be stupid or something..."

King Frederick looked pitifully at his dejected son. "Oh, Kit! You're not stupid. That trade deal has been written in such a way as to confuse the reader. The Grand Duke wrote it like that so that the Granidian delegation won't be able to see that it favours us."

Kit was surprised. "And you approve of that?"

The King sat up straighter. "It's for the good of the Kingdom, Christopher."

Kit flinched. Since his father had just used his full name, he knew he'd said too much. However, he couldn't let the matter rest there. "But it's dishonest!"

King Frederick glared straight at Kit. "That's enough! I don't understand why this bothers you, because it sure doesn't bother me! I'm signing this trade deal, and nothing you do or say is going to stop me!"

Kit sat frozen in place. His father had never spoken to him like that, and it upset him deeply. Before he could stop it, a tear fell from his eye. He wiped it away quickly, but the King saw it.

"Oh, Kit, I'm sorry!" he apologised as he placed his hand affectionately on Kit's knee. "I didn't mean to snap at you. But you must see that sometimes we need to put the good of the Kingdom before our own moral principles. You must understand that, surely?"

Kit looked away, refusing to respond. King Frederick sighed deeply.

"Look, Kit… This is a small Kingdom amongst many. It is important for this Kingdom to grow if it's to remain strong. And you are going to play a vital role in helping this Kingdom expand."

Kit finally looked back at his father. "How? More wars? More bloodshed and fighting? How will that help the Kingdom?"

The Grand Duke returned then. "The delegation has assembled, Your Majesty."

King Frederick stood up. "Remember, Kit, this is for the good of the Kingdom."

Kit silently followed his father into the splendid throne room. He saw five men from Granida standing in front of a small desk. They bowed ceremoniously as King Frederick sat down on his throne. Kit stood beside the throne, resting his left hand on the hilt of his sword. He did that whenever he was nervous, and it didn't go unnoticed by Angus.

"Welcome, gentlemen," King Frederick said, addressing the delegation. "I trust you've all had a pleasant journey, and that you're being well looked after?"

The five men nodded in agreement.

"This shouldn't take long, so let's get on with the signing," the Grand Duke interjected. He handed a quill to the first man, who eagerly signed the document.

 _There will be repercussions from this_ , Kit thought as he watched each man sign the document. Finally, King Frederick went over to the desk to sign. Kit looked away, knowing that if he watched, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from saying something that could separate him from his father forever.

"Excellent!" the Grand Duke exclaimed once the signing had been completed. "We shall have a dinner this evening to celebrate, and tomorrow, you are all invited to join Prince Christopher and myself on a stag hunt. We have an Imperial stag to find."

The delegation looked excited by this prospect, but Kit felt sick in his stomach. He clenched the hilt of his sword tighter, until his knuckles had turned white. There was no chance of getting out of tomorrow's hunt now. The Grand Duke had just committed him to it.

…

Early the next morning, Kit reluctantly mounted Triton. Around him, the men from the delegation, the Grand Duke, Angus, and a numerous other dignitaries and guards also mounted their horses. Fuelled with excited anticipation, Triton pawed at the cobblestones, nearly standing on his groom's feet.

"Settle down, boy," Kit murmured gently, while at the same time he gave the horse a pat.

"He can sense that you're nervous, Your Highness," the groom explained. "He should settle down once you get going."

Kit exhaled deeply. He wasn't looking forward to this. _Why can't I ever just do what I want to do? That's all I want._

The huntsman sounded his horn, and the hounds began baying expectantly as the field of horses and riders left the palace grounds, heading towards the forest. With much reluctance, Kit urged Triton forwards, falling into place behind the Grand Duke. Angus rode beside him, watching the Prince closely.

 _I'm really going to have to keep a close eye on him today. I don't want to be responsible for letting him run off again._

…

Just over two hours later, Kit was riding along lazily between Angus and the Grand Duke when, up ahead, they heard the horn sound and the hounds began baying again.

"Come on!" the Grand Duke said eagerly, urging his horse into a gallop. "They've picked up a scent!"

Kit wasn't quite as anxious to stay with the hunt, so he held Triton back as the field raced ahead. Even Angus had galloped on ahead, leaving Kit behind with the stragglers.

Suddenly, Kit saw a flash of grey out of the corner of his left eye. Looking in that direction, he saw a majestic dapple-grey horse bolting with its rider, who he couldn't quite see, but given the dress and the desperate feminine voice, he knew it was a young lady. Hearing the girl calling for the horse to stop, Kit urged Triton into a flat-out gallop, while at the same time steering him into the trees.

"Miss! Miss! Are you all right?" he shouted. "Hold on!"

It didn't take long for Triton to catch up with the bolting grey horse. It was then that Kit realised that the girl was riding her horse bareback – and without a bridle! She was doing a brilliant job to stay on top of her bolting horse.

"It's okay! I'm all right, thank you! It's fine," the girl said as Kit rode up alongside her.

Reaching out to touch the horse's wither, Kit also called for him to stop by saying the word 'whoa!' many times over. As the grey horse started to slow down, Kit reined in Triton as well.

Finally, both horses came safely to a stop. Triton was still keen to keep going, but the grey looked spent.

"Easy, Galahad!" the girl on the grey spoke softly, and she stroked the horse to calm him down.

Kit finally got his chance to get a look at the girl's face. It took all of his willpower to stop his jaw from dropping open in awe. This maiden was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen!

"Are you all right?" he asked sincerely, not daring to take his eyes off of her. Her pale blue dress was of an older out-of-fashion style; her complexion was pale, and her blonde hair was tangled and tied up with a rag, but her eyes reflected her inner bravery and, if he wasn't mistaken, a touch of sorrow. They rode their horses in a circle to help calm them down.

"I'm all right," the girl gasped, catching her breath. "But you've nearly frightened the life out of him!"

Kit was confused. "Who?"

The girl looked indignant. "The stag! What's he ever done to you that you should chase him about?"

Kit nearly laughed, but he managed to stop himself in time. "I must confess that I've never met him before. He is a friend of yours?"

"An acquaintance." The girl thought for a moment before she added, "We met just now. I looked into his eyes, and he looked into mine, and I just felt that he had a great deal left to do with his life. That's all."

 _That's all? She's speaking with such conviction and belief! And honesty! That's something I've hardly seen in anyone other than father and Angus… Even my tutors were never this open and honest with me…_

"Miss… What do they call you?" he asked, hoping to get the girl's name.

But the girl shook her head, somewhat despondent by that question. "Never mind what they call me," she said softly. Her musical voice sounded so familiar, and yet Kit couldn't recall where he'd heard it before.

"You shouldn't be this deep in the forest alone," Kit admonished. _Now, I'm sounding like the Grand Duke…_

The girl just shrugged indifferently at his statement. "I'm not alone. I'm with you! Mister… What do they call you?"

Now Kit had to laugh, and he did! He was astonished. He thought everyone in the Kingdom knew who he was. "You don't know who I am?" Then he caught himself. If this girl really didn't know that he was the Prince of Caronia, then perhaps it would be best if she didn't know. If she knew, she might close up on him instead of being open and honest. "That is…they call me Kit. Well, my father does, when he's in a good mood."

They both had a good chuckle over that.

"And… Where do you live, Mister Kit?" the girl asked curiously.

The answer slipped out before Kit could think it through. "At the Palace." Then, hastily, he added, "Uh, my father is teaching me his trade…"

The girl looked both impressed and delighted. "You're an apprentice!"

Kit shrugged awkwardly. "Of a sort."

"That's very fine. Do they treat you well?"

Kit thought about the argument he'd had with his father the day before over the trade deal, and about the way the Grand Duke behaved towards him. "Better than I deserve, most likely," he answered sadly. He wanted to learn more about this girl, so he threw the question back at her. "And you?"

The girl sighed, an air of tiredness in her voice. "They treat me as well as they are able."

They both halted their horses alongside each other, nose to tail, so they could face each other.

"I'm sorry," Kit said, hoping he hadn't upset her.

The girl looked like she was about to burst into tears as she spoke gently. "It's not your doing…"

Kit leaned in closer to her, trying to look into her eyes. "Nor yours either, I'll bet."

The girl sighed again. The sadness was still there. Then she smiled again. "It's not so very bad. Others…others have it worse, I'm sure." She took a deep breath while she gathered her thoughts. "We must…simply have courage and be kind, mustn't we?"

Kit was completely astonished by what she'd just said. But it was true! So very true… "Yes," he faltered, thinking about the deep meaning behind her words. "You're right. That's exactly how I feel…" _I've just never been able to put those feelings into words before._

A horn sounded nearby, alerting the hunters to the fact that the hounds had picked up the stag's scent again.

"Please, don't let them hurt him!" the girl begged desperately.

"But, we're hunting, you see. It's what's done." _Unfortunately…_

The girl looked absolutely shocked, and her next words were full of anger and bitterness. "Just because it's what's done, doesn't mean it's what should be done!"

"Right again!"

The girls' voice became tender again. "Then…you'll leave him alone, won't you?" She stared straight at him, pleading with her eyes.

Kit hesitated. _How can I stop the hunt? Wait a minute! I am the Prince of Caronia! I_ can _do anything I want to do! Nothing the Grand Duke can say will stop me._ "I will," he promised, nodding slightly.

The girl looked pleased. "Thank you very much, Mister Kit," she said with all sincerity.

At that moment, Kit heard someone riding up behind him. Turning, he saw that it was Angus and the Grand Duke. _No surprises there…_

"Ahh!" Angus said, sounding relieved. "There you are, Your High-"

"It's Kit, Kit!" Kit shouted desperately, still not wanting the girl to know his true identity. "Kit, I'm Kit!" _As if saying it twice wasn't enough…_ "I'm on my way!"

"Well, we'd better get a move on!" Angus called back, clearly confused, but understanding the Prince's subtle message that he didn't want this girl to know who he really was. "Mister Kit…" he added awkwardly, hoping that would show the Prince that he'd understood his message.

"As I said…" His gaze fell upon the girl again, who was still next to him. "…On my way…"

The girl chuckled, clearly bemused by the whole exchange. Rather reluctantly, Kit asked Triton to back up and turn around. He was about to ride away, when he turned back to face the girl again.

"I hope to see you again, Miss," he said, not really wanting to leave at all.

"And I you," she replied, holding her head up graciously.

Kit smiled broadly. He hadn't smiled like that in months. He urged Triton into a canter, looking back over his shoulder so he could still keep his eyes focused on the amazing girl. Finally, he had to look ahead, but he couldn't suppress the urge to laugh. It felt so good to do that! It was as though the weight of the world had just been lifted from his shoulders.

Angus and the Grand Duke rode along behind him, knowing that they really needed to keep track of the wayward Prince at all times. They'd also heard him laugh, which really surprised them.

 _The Prince hasn't laughed once in months!_ Angus thought, shaking his head in astonishment. _Whatever that girl said to him has really improved his mood._

Kit urged Triton into a gallop as he set off in hot pursuit of the hunt. But now, he was determined to put a stop to it. Angus and the Grand Duke had to ride hard just to keep up with him.

Finally, Kit caught up with the hunt. He could see the hounds closing in on the fleeing stag. Sensing his rider's urgency, Triton redoubled his efforts, and together, they charged through the field of galloping horses and riders.

Reaching the Master of the Hunt, Kit rode up alongside him. "Stop the hunt!" Kit ordered. "No one is to harm that stag!"

"But…" the Master began, but when he saw who was giving him the order, he responded immediately. Turning to the Whippers-in, he ordered a stop to the hunt. The hounds were called off, and the riders slowed their horses. Kit smiled with relief when he saw the stag disappear into the darkest depths of the forest.

"What are you doing?" the Grand Duke demanded to know when he finally caught up with the Prince.

"I don't want that stag harmed in any way by anyone!" Kit told him firmly. "I've called off the hunt, and we're going back."

"Your Highness!" the Grand Duke started to protest, but Kit cut him off.

"Grand Duke! I am the Prince of Caronia, and you will NOT tell me what to do! Ever!" Kit looked at those who'd gathered around them. "The hunt is over! It's time to go back to the Palace for lunch."

Reluctantly, the field turned around, and they started to make their way back to the Palace. The Grand Duke was clearly seething, but Kit ignored him. Angus smiled to himself.

 _Good on you, Kit! It's about time you put the Grand Duke back in his place. I just hope it lasts. For your sake._


	6. Chapter 6 - Unwelcome News

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 6 – Unwelcome News

Upon his return to the Palace after the stag hunt, Kit went straight to his dressing room to get changed. While he was doing that, Gregory went to tell King Frederick what had happened. Not surprisingly, it wasn't long before the King summoned Kit to his bedchamber.

Kit wasn't at all surprised to find Dr Magnuson giving the King another check-up when he arrived. It was becoming routine now. Even so, Kit couldn't hide his smile, or the sparkle that showed in his eyes. Neither the King nor Dr Magnuson could miss the obvious change in the Prince's demeanour. It was as though the joy that the Prince had had for life before he'd gone away to war, had been reignited all of a sudden. Dr Magnuson wanted to ask the Prince what had happened, but he wisely left it to the King to ask all the questions, while he focused on examining him.

"The Grand Duke came to see me not too long ago," King Frederick began. "He wasn't very happy."

Kit chuckled. "I'll bet he wasn't!"

Surprised by the Prince's bold response, Dr Magnuson accidentally dropped one of his tools onto the floor. "Sorry," he apologised as he bent down to pick it up.

Ignoring the physician, King Frederick raised an eyebrow in Kit's direction. "What happened out in the forest, Kit?"

"I met a wonderful girl, father," Kit replied dreamily.

"Not a stag?"

Kit chuckled again, and he began pacing the room in an excited manner. "I can't say I actually met him, but I didn't want to see him get killed. It wouldn't be right. The local people love him. At least…she does…"

"'She'? You mean, this girl that you met?" There was something different about Kit now. He reminded King Frederick of a child, receiving a new toy. The wonder, the imagination, the joy and the fire of passion showed clearly in Kit's eyes now as he spoke.

"She was incredible, father! I've never had anyone talk to me with such honesty and conviction!"

"She mustn't have known who you were, then."

"You're right; she didn't."

Dr Magnuson cleared his throat. "Uh, Your Majesty?"

Sighing, King Frederick leaned forwards so that the physician could listen to his lungs. Kit continued pacing briskly.

"You sound as if you're the first fellow to ever meet a pretty girl!" King Frederick exclaimed, confused by the sudden change in his son.

Kit exhaled deeply. "She wasn't a pretty girl!" But then, he realised what he'd just said. "Well, she _was_ a pretty girl, but there was so much more to her!"

"How much more? You only met her once. How can you know anything about her?"

Kit decided to play his trump card. "You told me you knew right away when you met mother."

"That's different," King Frederick responded sharply. "Your mother was a Princess."

"You would have loved her anyway." Kit's heart was pounding away at a million miles an hour now. He'd never been in love before, but if this was what love felt like, he welcomed it openly. His father's next words snapped him back to reality.

"I would never would have seen her, because it wouldn't have been appropriate. And my father, would have told me what I'm telling you. And I would have listened."

Kit sat down on the sofa beside his father. "No, you wouldn't."

"Yes, I would."

"No, you wouldn't."

"I would!"

"You wouldn't!"

"You're right!"

Their bantering stopped just as Dr Magnuson completed his exam. Kit had been ready to laugh at his father's sudden admission, but instead, he looked up at the physician expectantly.

"Well, how is he?" he finally asked, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer.

"Your Majesty…" Dr Magnuson began, but then he fell silent. He looked over at Kit, and their eyes met. The Prince's eyes were now full of worry again. They'd lost the sparkle he'd seen earlier. It hurt him to see the Prince looking like that.

"Never mind," King Frederick interrupted softly. "If it takes that long to work out a way to say it, I already know it's bad."

Kit felt devastated. He loved his father more than anyone else in the world, and the thought of losing him so soon tore at his heart. "Father…" He reached out to place his hand affectionately on top of his father's.

"Way of all flesh, boy." Pausing, King Frederick stood up, pretending to shake off Dr Magnuson's unspoken words. "Come. We shall be late. And punctuality is the politeness of princes." The King and the Prince said the last few words together. Then, King Frederick affectionately patted Kit on the cheek, and he headed into his dressing room.

Kit exhaled deeply, lost in thought. His day had already been so full of countless emotions, and now he felt too exhausted to take much more.

A loud 'snap!' snapped Kit out of his thoughts, and he looked up at Dr Magnuson, who'd just closed his Gladstone bag. Without saying a word to Kit, the physician left the room. Kit followed him, heading towards the dining hall for lunch.

…

After luncheon, and the departure of the Granidian delegation, King Frederick decided that it was time to tell Kit his news. He made his way to the Prince's quarters, hoping to find him there. He sighed with relief when he saw Angus just closing the doors to the Prince's sitting room.

"Is the Prince in there?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, he is, Your Majesty," Angus replied, bowing respectfully.

Nodding slightly, King Frederick entered the sitting room. Kit was sitting on one of the window seats, staring absently out of the window. He could see most of the Kingdom from here, but his gaze was firmly fixed on the distant forest. Feeling a hand rest gently on his shoulder, Kit jumped. Looking up, he relaxed when he saw that it was only his father.

"Relax, boy," King Frederick muttered. Then, he sat down in a nearby armchair. "We need to talk."

"What about?" Kit asked quietly.

"You."

Kit looked up curiously. "What about me?"

"Do you know what happens whenever a Prince or a Princess of Caronia comes of age?"

"There's usually a ball, isn't there?" Kit replied.

King Frederick nodded. "You are correct. And at the ball, the Prince or Princess is introduced to all of the eligible foreign Princes or Princesses, from which, they must select a suitable partner to marry. That is how I met your mother."

"And if the said Prince or Princess is already married, what then?" Kit wondered, starting to get where this conversation was heading.

"That has only happened twice in over three hundred years," King Frederick promptly answered. "The point is, I cannot wait another two years for you turn twenty-one." He leaned forwards, keeping eye contact with his son. "You might as well know that, Doctor Magnuson believes that I only have a few more weeks left to lives."

"What?" Kit whispered in shock and disbelief.

King Frederick nodded solemnly. "That is what he was going to tell me before, but he didn't know how to say it with you there. What I am trying to say is, we need to bring your coming-of-age forward. That way, we'll avoid any need of having a Regency."

"And the possibility of the Grand Duke usurping the throne," Kit added, his voice barely above a whisper now.

"Exactly," King Frederick placed his hand affectionately on Kit's knee. "I need you to be strong about this, Kit. I am dying, and you must be ready to take my place at any moment. I wish I could spare you from this, but we are fast running out of time…"

 _Have courage…_

King Frederick continued. "I have ordered the Grand Duke to begin planning for your coming-of-age ball, but I haven't told him why it's been brought forward. I think he knows though. He knows I am ill, and that's all he needs to know. The ball will be held in a little over two weeks from now."

Kit nodded slowly.

"Kit…" King Frederick continued. "…at this ball, you must _choose_ a wife."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I want you to be happy."

"In that case, I cannot be expected to make such an important decision after just one meeting."

"You will know which Princess is the right one for you as soon as you meet her. That is how I knew with your mother, and our marriage was a very happy one, until…" The King's voice faltered as he remembered the sorrow of his wife's untimely death.

Kit dropped his gaze. "Why must I marry a Princess? Surely love is much more important than anything else?"

"Kit, I hope you're not thinking that you're in love with that girl who you met in the forest this morning?"

Kit stood up abruptly, suddenly angry. "Well, why not? She'd suit me far better than any foreign Princess!"

"Oh, be reasonable, Christopher!" King Frederick snapped.

Kit rolled his eyes. _Here we go! He's using my full name again…_ "At least she's Caronian!"

There was silence for a moment, and Kit knew he'd won that round. Or at least, he thought he had.

"I doubt she'd even know what it means to be a Lady," King Frederick muttered. Before Kit could think of a response, King Frederick stood up, and he went over to him. Resting his hands firmly on Kit's shoulders, he looked straight into Kit's eyes. "Kit, let's try not to fight from now on. I know you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if our last words together were angry ones. Now, calm down and listen to me. This ball is going ahead, whether you like it or not. You will be required to meet with all of the eligible Princesses, whether you like it or not. What you decide to do after that is up to you. Do you understand?"

Kit swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat. "Yes, father. I understand."

"Good. Now, Master Phineas is waiting for you. I've asked him here to paint a series of portraits that will be sent to all of the eligible Princesses. Put your jacket on, and let's go."

Out in the hallway, Angus and the Grand Duke fell into step behind King Frederick and Kit, replacing the guards who usually followed them around. Kit wondered if they'd been trying to eavesdrop on the conversation he'd had with his father just now.

 _What does it matter? They'll know everything soon enough._

"His Majesty, the King!" a footman announced as the group left the royal family's private wing. Footmen and various other servants immediately stood and bowed to their King and Prince as the group walked down a long hallway, heading towards another part of the Palace.

"Your Highness," Gregory began, speaking firmly. "I am sure your father spoke to you of your behaviour in the forest?" His tone indicated that he was still very much put out by that incident.

"Is it any business of yours, Grand Duke?" Kit shot back.

"Your business is my business, Your Royal Highness. It will not do to let the stag go free."

Kit smiled a little when he remembered what the girl in the forest had said to him about the stag. "Just because it's what's done, doesn't mean it's what should be done." He frowned, not sure if he had the wording correct. "Or something like that."

"Still the dreamer," King Frederick sighed. That was exactly how Kit had been before he'd sent him away to war. Now, in some small way, he was glad to see that side of Kit coming back. However… "I had hoped that some campaigning would've knocked some sense into you."

Kit looked away. After the nightmare he'd suffered the other night, he didn't want those horrific memories returning to him again anytime soon.

King Frederick glanced back over his shoulder at the Captain of the Guard. "What have you got to say?"

"I'd say the war knocked some common sense _out_ of him, sir," Angus replied sensibly. "While I have never seen a fellow more brave, he exhibited a very troublesome tendency to…think."

King Frederick rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I fear for this Kingdom…" he muttered under his breath.

Kit subtly put a hand behind his back. When he was certain the Grand Duke wasn't looking, he gave Angus a thumb's up gesture. Angus smiled to himself. He was glad the Prince had approved of his answer.

Moments later, the group entered the studio where Master Phineas, the Court portraitist, was busy setting up his equipment.

"Master Phineas, master of the paintbrush, patiently awaits," a footman announced.

"Make him look marriageable, Master Phineas," King Frederick instructed, while a footman helped Kit put on a cape that matched his jacket. "We must attract a suitable bride, even if he won't listen to a word I say."

Reluctantly, Kit mounted a saddle, which was perched on a high saddle stand in front of a canvas backdrop.

"I shall endeavour to please, Your Majesty," Master Phineas promised. "But I can't work miracles."

Angus looked up at the studio backdrop in admiration. "A splendid canvas, Master Phineas!"

"Thank you!" Master Phineas replied. Then, under his breath, he added, "As if he knows anything about art." He handed a sword up to the Prince.

"So these portraits will be sent abroad, to induce the high and mighty to attend this ball you insist upon?" Kit asked.

"Yes," King Frederick answered. "If we can convince a Princess of sufficient rank that you're not a dunderhead, we may be able to secure a powerful alliance."

"Which is a tradition," Gregory added. "Which is beloved…"

"At which you will choose a bride," King Frederick continued. "It has always been done; it is how it will be done."

Master Phineas sighed as he picked up his paintbrush. "Ah, fascinating!"

"If I must marry, why could I not wed, say…a good, honest country girl?" Kit wondered aloud.

"How many divisions of infantry would this 'good, honest country girl' provide us?" the Grand Duke argued. "How will she make the Kingdom stronger? We are a small Kingdom amongst great States, Your Royal Highness. And it is a dangerous world. We must get what allies we can."

King Frederick walked over to the fake horse where Kit was sitting. "Listen, boy" he said quietly, while Master Phineas took his place on a special seat that could be raised up and down.

"Taking you up, Master Phineas," Samson, Master Phineas' helper, said.

"Good," Master Phineas replied.

King Frederick tried to ignore the banter going on behind him. "You will be King soon, son. You know I am not well. For myself, I do not mind. I have had a good life. But I would have you – and the Kingdom – safe and secure."

Kit listened thoughtfully. _Maybe there is a way I can see that girl again, and still do as father wants?_

"All right, father," Kit relented. "I will agree to the ball. On one condition… Let the invitations go to everyone, not just the nobility. The wars have brought sorrow on us all." _Myself included._

Surprised by Kit's suggestion, King Frederick turned to look at Angus and the Grand Duke. "What do you think? Would that please the people?"

"It's beyond my wit, Your Majesty," Angus replied, looking excited by the idea. "But I wouldn't mind a bit of a jolly!" And he laughed. King Frederick and Kit laughed as well.

"I think we might have made a bargain!" Gregory interjected eagerly. "A ball for the people, and a Princess for the Prince."

Master Phineas couldn't resist giving his opinion. "Sounds like a step in the right direction if you ask…"

"We didn't ask you!" King Frederick snapped.

"I am so sorry," Master Phineas apologised without a hint of sincerity. "Naughty paint, naughty brush. Down please, Samson…" Master Phineas' seat started to lower. "Haven't even got a cushion. Right, down, down. Not that… Oi!" There was a thud as Master Phineas fell backwards off his seat, landing heavily on the floor on his back. "I'm on the ground. I am literally on the ground! Sorry." Laughing, he looked up at Kit, who didn't look terribly amused. "Actually, this is a very good angle for you. Great nostrils. Can I have a longer brush?"

Kit groaned audibly. Clearly, he was in for a very long and boring afternoon.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Royal Ball

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 7 – The Royal Ball 

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" the town crier shouted to get everyone's attention. Silence filled the square, however, a dog continued barking. "QUIET!"

Whimpering, the dog complied. Clearing his throat, the town crier began to read from the scroll he was holding.

"Now! On this day, two weeks hence, there shall be held, at the Palace, a royal ball!"

The silence lingered as the crowd waited for the crier to continue.

"At said ball, in accordance with ancient custom, the Prince shall choose a bride. Furthermore, at the behest of the Prince, it is hereby declared that every maiden in the Kingdom, be she noble or commoner, is invited to attend! Such is the command of our most noble King."

…

Now that the invitations for the ball had been sent out, the Grand Duke increased Kit's monarchical training fourfold. Every second of his day was now planned to keep him fully occupied, leaving him with almost no time to relax. Kit didn't bother to protest. After all, he'd made the promise to his father that he'd submit to the Grand Duke's training. But whenever Kit felt bored, he'd let his mind wander back to the girl in the forest.

Which was precisely what he was doing now. He was supposed to be practicing his fencing skills along with the rest of his regiment, but he couldn't stay focused, even though he was sparring with Angus.

Seeing that the Prince wasn't a hundred percent focused on what he was doing, Angus decided to tease him a little. With a swift move of his arm, Angus brought his sword down on the Prince's shoulder, hitting the blade against one of the silver buttons. The noise seemed snap the Prince back to reality. With a heavy sigh, Kit realised that, had he been in a real battle, he would have lost his head. The thought made him cringe.

Something was definitely preoccupying the Prince's mind, and it sure wasn't fencing. Angus tapped Kit's shoulder lightly with the flat side of the sword's blade. "Wake up, Your Royal Highness. You're in a daze."

Kit turned away, inwardly kicking himself for letting his guard down. "I'm sorry."

"You've been off since the hunt," Angus admonished.

Turning, Kit started to leave the hall. "It's that wonderful girl," he shrugged innocently. "I can't stop thinking about her."

Angus walked alongside him. "But there are plenty of girls."

"But her spirit, her goodness…"

"You don't suppose she has a sister, do you?" Angus chuckled. From the way Kit described this girl, she sounded like a goddess of perfection.

Kit chuckled too, perfectly understanding why Angus had asked. "I don't know. I don't know anything about her." _Aside from the fact that I am completely in love with her!_

"Well, perhaps your mystery princess may come to the ball. That is why you threw the doors open, is it not?"

"Captain, it was for the benefit of the people." Kit chided.

"Of course. How shallow of me." But Angus couldn't hide his smile.

Two footmen fell into step behind. Kit handed his sword and gloves to one of them, exchanging them for a soft white cloth, which he used to wipe the sweat off his face.

"And if she comes?" _What will I do then?_

Angus could read Kit's unspoken thoughts. "Then you will tell her that you are a Prince," he replied firmly. "And a prince may take whichever bride he wishes."

"Ha!"

"Ha?"

"Yes, 'ha'!" Kit sighed despondently. "You know my father and the Grand Duke will only have me marry a princess."

"Well, if this girl from the forest is as charming as you say, they may change their minds."

 _You're dreaming, Angus!_ "Father might understand, but the Grand Duke? Never!" Kit said the last word bitterly.

"Well, there is always a way," Angus said thoughtfully. "You are a wily young fellow, after all."

 _True. I guess there are some advantages to appearing stupid. I just wish I was better at mathematics…_ Kit looked across at Angus. "And the King's wishes?"

Angus made eye contact with Kit. "He's a good man, and a good King. If he knows that you will rule the people fairly, and keep the Kingdom strong and the people happy, he will approve. I know it."

Kit's heart swelled with hope, and he smiled blissfully. "Then I pray that you are wiser than you look," he teased.

"How could you doubt it?"

Laughing, the two friends continued on their way.

…

Finally, the evening of the ball arrived. Kit could hardly keep still as his valets helped him to dress in a gorgeous cream and pale blue outfit, which had been tailor made for him just to wear at this ball. Kit had insisted on the blue, because it reminded him of the girl from the forest's pale blue dress. He sincerely hoped, and prayed, that she'd come tonight.

Shortly before 8pm, King Frederick, the Grand Duke and Angus came to fetch Kit from his dressing room. King Frederick smiled when he saw just how handsome his son looked. The Prince had really made an effort to impress tonight.

"Very smart, Kit," King Frederick quietly approved as he ran his eyes all over Kit.

"Thank you, father."

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Kit replied.

"Let's go then."

It wasn't long before Kit found himself walking down the hallway that led to the throne room, alongside his father. Up ahead, he could see a flurry of guests, mostly young women, being held back in the hallway by a line of guards.

"His Majesty the King, and His Royal Highness, Prince Christopher!" the Master of Ceremonies announced, and the guests bowed respectfully to them as they passed.

Upon entering the throne room, which would double as a ball room tonight, Kit saw some of the servants still lighting the candles in the chandeliers. Following his father, Kit went upstairs to the balcony, so he could watch the guests as they entered the room. Angus and the Grand Duke remained with them. Due to his illness, a throne had been provided for King Frederick.

Once the chandeliers had been lit and raised up to into their positions, the guests were allowed to enter the throne room. The noise of hundreds of screaming and squealing eager young ladies was more than enough to intimidate most men, but Kit ignored their antics. He only wanted to see one face tonight. Nothing else mattered to him.

As soon as the orchestra had begun to play quietly in the background, the Master of Ceremonies proceeded to announce each of the guests one by one.

"Princess Mei Mei of Frujian."

Kit took one look at the Princess as she descended the stairs. She wasn't the one.

"Princess Shahrzad of the Seljuqs."

Kit shook his head slightly. That wasn't her either.

On the opposite balcony, a rather forward young lady called out to Kit. "Your Highness!" Amused, King Frederick glanced up at Kit, who chuckled awkwardly.

"Princess Chelina of Zaragosa!"

Kit frowned. Princess Chelina looked like all of the other Princesses here tonight, and she definitely wasn't the girl from the forest either.

The Master of Ceremonies continued. "Princess Imani of Shona!"

 _No, that's not her either…_

"Princess Hiina of the Chrysanthemum Throne!"

Kit couldn't help but notice that a footman was directing Chelian up to the royal balcony. Kit continued frowning. _Surely, she's not bold enough to try and make an advance at me! At the very least, we'd have to be formally introduced first._

Before Kit could dwell on the situation further, a rather gaudy middle-aged woman appeared at the top of the stair. Behind her were two equally gaudy young maidens. They all looked so silly in their outlandish dresses that Kit very nearly laughed out loud.

"The Lady Tremaine and her daughters."

 _Oh, boy!_ Kit thought, and he rolled his eyes as the Master of Ceremonies continued.

"The very clever Miss Drizella and the very beautiful Anastasia."

Shaking his head to try and clear his memory of those women, Kit re-focused on the task at hand.

"The Lord Veneering."

Kit Frederick, who'd been watching Kit closely, finally spoke up. "Why do you keep looking at the stairs? Who are you looking for?"

Kit hesitated before answering. "No one."

But his father could tell when Kit was lying. "It's that girl in the forest, isn't it? That's why you were so generous with the invitations."

Kit tried very hard not to smile. "Father, it was for the people."

"I know you love the people, Kit. But I also know that your head's been turned. But you've only met her once, in the forest."

"And you would have me marry someone I met once, tonight," Kit countered.

"A Princess," King Frederick reminded him firmly. "It's a Princess or nothing."

Kit sighed. He didn't want to have to argue with his father tonight, so he decided to keep his mouth shut. _After all, father cannot force me to propose to anyone. Even arranged marriages must be consented to…_

Hearing someone cough behind him, Kit turned around. He came almost face-to-face with the Grand Duke, so he quickly took a step back.

Gregory bowed respectfully. "Your Highness. May I present Her Royal Highness, Princess Chelina of Zaragosa."

Kit gulped. _So, this is the woman they would have me marry? Well, we'll see about that!_ Even while he was thinking those thoughts, Kit automatically raised Princess Chelina's hand to his lips, kissing it lightly.

"You are as handsome as your picture," Princess Chelina said, somewhat snobbishly. "And your little kingdom is enchanting."

"I hope the Princess will not find our 'little kingdom' too confining," Kit retorted, sounding equally as rude.

King Frederick raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he said nothing. _Clearly, this is NOT love at first sight. But she IS a Princess. Perhaps they could learn to at least tolerate each other. No… That isn't what I want for Kit. I want him to find love, with a Princess._

But Princess Chelina was not easily offended. "It could be bigger… With the right friends, of course, and enough soldiers."

Kit pretended to be confused, but he could see where this conversation was heading. "I'm not sure I understand."

Princess Chelina placed a gloved hand on Kit's forearm. "Of course you do. They tell me you are very brave in battle."

Kit turned away from her as the painful memories of the war sprung to mind. "Brave or not, war is not what it is made out to be. There are many forms of bravery. People don't have to be brave only on the battlefield." He glanced pointedly at his father, hoping he would understand what he was saying. But King Frederick had his poker face on.

Just then, the Master of Ceremonies began speaking again, and a hush filled the room. Kit looked sadly down at the people on the throne room floor. The girl from the forest was not amongst them.

 _Where is she? She must be here somewhere! Perhaps I missed her, although I don't see how I could have. I saw every single lady enter the palace tonight._

"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. My Lords, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished visitors and people of our land, the Prince shall now choose his partner for the first dance. Let our ball commence!"

A round of applause filled the room. Kit closed his eyes, knowing that he'd now have to ask Princess Chelina to dance, since he hadn't been introduced to any other young ladies. It would be highly impudent and improper for him to dance with someone he hadn't been introduced to.

 _Nice play, Grand Duke! You may have the upper hand now, but not even you can force me to marry._

Silence suddenly filled the room again. Curious, Kit opened his eyes, wondering what had happened. To his utmost amazement, he could see that a young lady had just entered the room, and she was standing at the top of the stairs, smiling down at everyone in total wonder. The girl was wearing the most stunning blue ball gown Kit had ever seen! But it wasn't the dress that made him smile broadly, or his heart beat faster with excitement.

It was the girl from the forest!

 **Hey everyone! I'm back! And I am so sorry it's taken me so long to update, but my computer died, so I've spent the past week trying to get one of my brothers' old ones up and running. The first one I tried also died, so I guess it's now third time lucky, lol! Luckily, I didn't lose anything, since I had it all backed up.**

 **Thank you so much for your reviews! I have read them, and I am so glad that so many people are enjoying seeing things from Kit's P.O.V. When I watched the movie, I wanted to know more about what was going on inside his head, so I decided to write what I think he must have felt. The movie does mention that he's only just returned from war, so I decided to use that as my starting point. I can't imagine that Kit would've been able to push those horrific memories aside. Nobody, not even a Prince, has that mental strength.**

 **Anyway, there's still a lot more to go with this story, so unless I have further computer problems, my updates should occur with the same regularity as before. Thank you so much for your patience!**


	8. Chapter 8 - A Perfect Night

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 8 – A Perfect Night

Kit could barely contain his excitement upon seeing the girl from the forest again. Turning, he came face-to-face with Princess Chelina, who appeared to be expecting him to ask her to join him for the first dance.

"Excuse me," Kit said quickly, bowing his head politely. Princess Chelina curtsied, but Kit hardly noticed. He was already making his way towards the flight of concealed stairs that went down to the throne room floor. Behind him, he could hear some confusion over his abrupt departure.

"A thousand apologies, Your Royal Highness," Gregory was saying to Princess Chelina. "I don't know what happened."

 _Of course, you don't!_ Kit thought as he hurried down the stairs. _Who cares what he thinks now? She's here! She's actually here!_

Meanwhile, King Frederick watched closely as the latecomer gracefully made her way down the grand staircase. The girl had all the elegance and charm of a Princess, but he had never seen her before, so he had no idea who she was.

 _She can't be a commoner_ , King Frederick thought as the girl sank into a very low curtsy on the stairs for him. _Commoners wouldn't know how to curtsy that deeply in a dress like that. They'd only fall over themselves trying!_

The girl continued to walk elegantly down the stairs. Or rather, she _glided_ elegantly down the stairs. The sight even made King Frederick's old heart flutter. It reminded him of the first time he'd seen Kit's mother. She'd stood out from all of the other Princesses because of her dignity and natural elegance. That was something which could not be taught.

Kit emerged on the throne room floor just as the girl reached the base of the stairs. She looked around for a moment, as though she was looking for someone in particular. Kit knew that she was looking for him, so he kept his eyes focused on her, hoping she'd see him soon.

She did. For a moment, her smile faded, but Kit's didn't. It was as though the girl was unsure of what she should do next. Her unspoken question was answered when the guests began to move aside. It was just like the parting of the Red Sea. Within seconds, the way had been made clear for Kit and the girl to meet, right in the heart of the throne room. Boldly, they walked towards each other, not daring to look at anyone else. It was as though an invisible thread was pulling them together at last.

By the time they were face-to-face with each other, the girl was smiling again.

"Mister Kit," the girl said softly, fulling recognising him now.

Kit was almost breathless. "It's you, isn't it?" _Not that I really need to ask…_

The girl shrugged slightly. "Just so."

 _Breathe, Kit!_ Kit reminded himself, and he promptly inhaled sharply. _She's a Princess! She has to be, considering her manner and how stunning she looks!_ Choosing to err on the side of caution, Kit said, "Your Highness…"

The girl chuckled slightly, but not reading anything into it, Kit continued.

"If I may…that is…" _Get a hold of yourself, Kit!_ He forced himself to stand up a little straighter. "It would give me the greatest pleasure if you would do me the honour of leading you through this…the first…" _Stop stumbling over your words, Kit! She'll think you're stupid or something! Drat! Now I've forgotten what I wanted to say next…_

"Dance?" the girl supplied, smiling slightly in amusement.

Kit breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Yes, dance!" Smiling broadly, he laughed at his own folly. The girl laughed too. Kit shook his head slightly, trying to clear it. "That's it."

To his great relief, the girl nodded her acceptance of his muddled request. Drawing in a deep breath, Kit leaned forwards, and he boldly placed his right hand around the girl's waist. The elegant material of her dress crinkled beneath his fingers, making the girl gasp in excited anticipation.

At that moment, the orchestra began playing _La Valse de L'Amour_. Kit instinctively swayed in time to the beat, and the girl moved with him; her gorgeous blue dress swaying like waves on the ocean. As they spun around, the girl noticed that everyone was still watching them.

"They're all looking at you," she whispered.

Kit smiled warmly. "Believe me. They're all looking at you!"

Undaunted by the watching audience, Kit and the girl danced gracefully together as if they were completely alone in the vast throne room. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle 'swish' of the girl's voluptuous skirt whenever she twirled or jumped in the air. Kit, for his part, held onto her firmly, yet gently, whenever she jumped or twirled around him. Occasionally, the girl would giggle, so she was obviously enjoying herself.

Up on the royal balcony, Princess Chelina watched the happy couple closely, not in the least bit envious. "Who is she?" she asked quietly, not wishing to break the spell that had fallen over the room.

"I have no idea," the Grand Duke muttered bitterly.

Angus didn't say anything, but he knew who this girl was – the girl from the forest. He was delighted to see Kit looking so happy at last. _They really are a perfect couple! I hope she does have a sister…_

King Frederick was also watching the dance intently. _Maybe I underestimated this girl. If this is Kit's girl from the forest, she is exactly as he described her. They are perfect for each other, and I can see that he is in love with her. We must find out exactly who she is! If she really is a Princess, Kit and I will both be happy. He'll have done his duty to the Kingdom_ and _found true love._

As the dancing between Kit and the girl intensified, the guests moved back to give them more room to move. The girl laughed again. Clearly, she was enjoying herself immensely. Kit couldn't wipe the smile off his face. It thrilled him to see his special girl having so much fun.

All too soon, the music came to an end. The girl sank to the ground, curtsying deeply to Kit. Kit placed his right hand over his chest, hoping to calm his racing heart. The other guests applauded loudly.

After a moment, the orchestra began to play the next dance, _la Valse Champagne_. Being a much more lively dance, many other couples gladly joined in. Kit decided that now would be a good chance for them to escape.

"Come with me," he told the girl, grabbing her hand. Willingly, she followed him.

Pushing their way through the crowd of dancers and onlookers, Kit took the girl through the door at the far end of the throne room. They emerged inside the portrait room, where the picture of Kit's mother hung, along with countless other royal portraits.

"So you're the Prince!" the girl exclaimed, gasping in astonishment as Kit quickly closed the doors behind them, silencing all sounds of the ball.

Kit chuckled, amazed that the girl had only just figured that out. Feeling playful, he decided to tease her a bit. "Well, not _the_ Prince exactly. There are plenty of Princes in the world. I'm only _a_ Prince."

"But… Your name's not really 'Kit'." The girl sounded a little disappointed.

"Certainly, it is! Uh, my father still calls me that when he's especially unpeeved at me."

The girl laughed. "But…you're no apprentice."

Kit was quick to come to his own defence. "I am! An apprentice monarch! Still learning my trade."

The girl gasped as she tried hard not to laugh hysterically. "Oh, gosh!"

"Please, forgive me." Kit begged as they began to make their way around the room. "I thought you might treat me differently if you knew. I mistook you for a good, honest country girl. Now I see that you didn't want to overawe a plain soldier."

"Little chance of that!"

Kit held out his hand. "No more surprises?"

The girl shook his hand. "No more surprises," she agreed. Her eyes darted up to a large portrait hanging on the wall behind Kit. "Is that you?"

They walked over to the painting.

"I hate myself in paintings," Kit bemoaned. "Don't you?"

The girl chuckled. "No one has ever painted my portrait."

"No? Well, they should." _It'd be a crime for any artist to miss capturing your beauty!_

The girl flushed profusely. "Ah… What were you doing?"

"That?" Kit glanced up at the portrait again. "Oh, I was about to charge the enemy." He held out his hand in a silent suggestion that it was time for them to move on.

"How terrible!" the girl gasped as she headed over to the doorway.

Kit was surprised! "Most people would say 'how exciting!'"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're right. It is terrible." _Extremely!_ "I'm not supposed to say that, but it is."

Two footmen ran into the room behind them. "Your Royal Highness!" one of them called out anxiously. Turning, Kit held up his hands to stop them.

"Thank you," he said firmly. Then, he closed the doors. It was his way of ordering the footmen not to follow them.

Once Kit and the girl were more-or-less alone outside, they walked along the paths, side-by-side, admiring the perfectly manicured gardens.

"Here is where I played a war when I was little," Kit reminisced to the girl. He didn't want to think about the wars tonight, but it was difficult not to talk about them; especially since he'd now found someone who hated fighting just as much as he did. "It was different then. You could always bring the soldiers back to life, and they had no one to grieve for them."

The girl seemed to realise that Kit was talking about a particularly sensitive subject, so she decided to alter the topic slightly. "With whom did you play?"

"The Captain of the Guard, kind fellow that he was. He always spared time for me. And you? Who did you have to play with?"

"Oh, I had so many playmates! Sheep and geese, and all the mice, of course."

"Of course," Kit agreed, even though it sounded so strange to him. Then, not wishing to offend the girl, he asked, "Are they good company?"

The girl chuckled. "They are excellent listeners."

Kit gestured to the left, indicating the direction he wanted to go. "Please."

"Thank you," the girl said quietly, going ahead for a moment. They entered another section of the gardens, where they could be completely alone, away from prying eyes. The path they had taken was lit with flaming torches, giving the garden a romantic ambiance.

"How beautiful!" the girl breathed.

"My mother loved it here," Kit said. "Since she died, my father can't bring himself to visit the gardens."

"My mother is in heaven too. Do you suppose they know each other?"

Kit grinned, bemused by the thought. "I don't see why not!"

"I think heaven is like the Palace ball. Everyone is invited."

"That's because of you. I made sure everyone could come because I hoped to see you again."

The girl blushed, and she dropped her gaze. "I came to see Mr Kit," she said quietly.

"Not the Prince?"

"Oh, no. The Prince is far too grand." She was teasing, and Kit knew it.

"Surely not for someone like you. I don't suppose you have a large army?"

"I'm afraid I have no army at all."

 _Well, that would've made things easier…_

"Won't they miss you at the ball?" the girl asked.

"Maybe… But let's not go back just yet." Kit fiddled with the hilt of his sword.

"What's wrong?"

Kit was surprised that the girl had noticed his nervous habit. "When I go back, they will try to pair me off with a lady of their choosing," he replied bitterly. "I am expected to marry for advantage."

"Oh! Well, who's advantage?"

"That is a good question!" Kit smiled thoughtfully.

"Surely you have a right to your own heart!"

"But I must weigh that against the King's wishes. He is a wise ruler, and a loving father."

"Perhaps he will change his mind."

"I fear he hasn't much time to do so," Kit said sadly.

The girl looked crushed, which meant that she'd understood the hidden meaning in Kit's words. "Poor Kit!" she whispered.

Moving on, Kit escorted the girl to his secret garden. "I've never shown this place to anyone," he told her excitedly. He opened the wooden door, and they entered the garden.

"A secret garden!" the girl gasped in astonishment. Without hesitating, she ventured further into the small, walled garden. "Oh, I love it!"

When Kit saw her admiring his swing, he gestured for her to sit. "Please," he invited.

"No, I shouldn't!"

"You should!" Kit insisted.

"I shouldn't!"

"You should!"

"Shouldn't!"

"You should!"

"I will!"

Kit grinned when the girl finally gave in. That friendly banter had been like the ones he always enjoyed having with his father, whenever they'd disagreed on something. Kit politely held the swing steady as the girl sat herself down on it.

"May I?" he asked once she was settled.

"Please!"

Placing his hand in the small of the girl's back, Kit gave her a gently push. She chuckled as she began to swing back and forth, propelled by Kit's gentle pushes. The skirt of her stunning ball gown floated like a soft blue cloud every time the swing reached the peak of its arc.

On the third swing, Kit heard a soft 'clink!'. "Oh!" the girl gasped, and she stopped the swing. Looking down, Kit saw that her shoe had fallen off. He instinctively went to retrieve it for her.

Kneeling in the lush green grass, Kit was amazed by what he saw. Wanting to ensure his eyes weren't deceiving him in the moonlight, he carefully picked up the shoe. Sure enough, his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"It's made of glass!" he said in astonishment.

Chuckling, the girl shrugged. "And why not?" She made it sound as if glass shoes were just as common as teapots.

"Allow me?" Kit asked, still not forgetting his gentlemanly manners.

"Thank you," the girl acquiesced.

Kit respectfully lifted up the hem of the girl's skirt, so he could see her foot. Then, with great love and tenderness, he eased the glass slipper back onto her foot. It fit her like a glove. _Almost as though the shoe was moulded onto her foot when it was made_ , he mused.

Smiling, Kit looked up at her. "There."

The girl exhaled deeply as she brought the swing down closer to Kit.

"Won't you tell me who you really are?" he asked. He just had to know who this girl was! After all, she'd had several hours to tell him the truth.

"If I do, I think everything might be different," the girl replied with a tone of sadness in her voice.

"I don't understand. Can you at least tell me your name?" Kit pressed.

"My name is…" the girl began, but then she paused. Looking up at the Palace clock, she saw that it was two minutes to midnight. Her eyes sparkled as she gasped in disbelief. "I have to leave!"

 **Thank you so much to those of you who so kindly left a review! I'm sorry my updates haven't been as consistent as I'm sure we'd all like them to be, but sometimes 'life' just gets in the way. I sincerely hope this chapter was well worth the wait, because I've really enjoyed writing it.**


	9. Chapter 9 - I Have to Leave!

**Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Disney. All OCs and non-original names belong to me.**

Chapter 9 – "I Have to Leave!"

"I have to leave!"

 _What? Why?_ Kit's eyes betrayed his confusion over the Mystery Princess' statement. Seeing his confusion, the girl hurriedly tried to explain herself.

"It's hard to explain. Lizards and pumpkins and things…" Jumping off the swing, the girl dashed towards the doorway. Her blue ball gown cascaded around her like a waterfall.

Kit stood up. "Wait!" he called.

The girl paused briefly in the doorway, obviously to try and remember the way back to the Palace.

"Where are you going?" Kit asked, still very much confused, and slightly bemused.

The girl peeked back into the secret garden through one of the ached stone windows. "Oh, you've been awfully nice! Thank you for a wonderful evening. I've loved it! Every second…!" And with that, the girl disappeared down the path.

Momentarily stunned by what had just happened, Kit sat down on the swing himself.

"Lizards and pumpkins?" he muttered to himself. Then realising that the girl was really leaving, he hurried after her.

As Kit stepped out of the secret garden, he looked around for the girl, but she was nowhere to be seen. _For someone who wears glass slippers, she sure can move fast!_ Kit thought as he ran after her. He didn't even bother to close the door of the secret garden.

Knowing that the girl would be heading back inside the Palace, Kit began sprinting. He took a shortcut through a glade of trees, which helped him to almost catch up with the girl. Unfortunately, she ran inside the Palace before Kit could stop her.

 _Why is she running away? Did I say something wrong? Does she not… No! That is foolish! I mustn't think that she doesn't love me. I'm sure she does._

Entering the throne room again, Kit saw that the ball was still in full swing. He paused to see where the girl was now. He caught a quick glimpse of her stunning blue dress on the other side of the room. There was only one thing for it. He'd have to cut through the dancers.

"Your Highness!" someone shouted as Kit dashed down the short flight of stairs that lead onto the dancefloor.

Before Kit had even taken five steps, one of the ugly sisters he'd seen earlier shrieked out, "My Prince!" And then she grabbed him, forcibly pulling him into a dance with her.

The ugly girl's sister, who been dancing with another gentleman nearby, left her partner, and she chased after them shouting, "You've got the wrong one! You've got the wrong one!"

"Unhand me, now!" Kit ordered furiously. _These two idiots are delaying me! I have to catch up with her before she leaves!_

At that moment, Angus came to Kit's rescue. He seized the ugly girl clutching Kit, and he pulled her off him. "Throw these two out!" Angus ordered some nearby guards. Kit had already resumed running towards the grand staircase. Despite the chaos behind him, he could hear others following, shouting for him to stop, but he kept running.

At the top of the grand staircase, Kit nearly tripped over his father, who'd been standing at the top of the stairs.

"Sorry, father," Kit automatically apologised. Still fuelled with adrenalin, he bolted with fierce determination down the hallway, after the girl. "Wait!" he shouted urgently. He hated having to keep one hand on the hilt of his sword to stop it from moving around, because it inhibited the speed of his run.

Kit burst through the Palace's entry doors in time to see a flash of blue disappearing down the external Palace steps. Barely even pausing to catch his breath, he sprinted across the forecourt. At the top of the steps, Kit had to stop, primarily so that he wouldn't go tripping down them. The girl was about halfway down, and she seemed to have paused for something.

"Wait!" Kit shouted after her. "Where are you going?"

For a split second, the girl looked indecisive. But then, after looking sadly at Kit, she turned and ran down the rest of the steps towards her glittering golden carriage. Kit descended the steps rapidly after her, taking great care not to miss his step.

By the time Kit had reached the spot where the girl had paused, her carriage was rumbling out through the main gates. Stooping down, Kit carefully picked up the object that had made the girl hesitate – one of her glass slippers. No doubt it was the same slipper he had so lovingly placed back on her foot only minutes before. Hearing two people rapidly descending the steps behind him, Kit smiled a little. He knew exactly who had followed him, without even having to look at them.

"Captain, my horse," Kit ordered, while he stared wistfully into the distance after the rapidly disappearing carriage.

"No!" The Grand Duke refuted, stopping on Kit's left-hand side. "This may be some intrigue to lure you from the Palace." Then, sincerely, he added. "Your father needs you here." And with that, he began to descend the rest of the steps.

On Kit's right-hand side, Angus glanced longingly back at the Palace.

"Captain!" the Grand Duke shouted back over his shoulder.

Angus exhaled deeply with annoyance. "I was having a fine old time. You had to go and choose that one, didn't you?" And he followed after the Grand Duke in a huff.

"Yes, I did," Kit said quietly to himself. He fingered the glass slipper lovingly. It was still slightly warm.

Kit stayed on the steps until he saw Angus and the Grand Duke ride after the carriage with a full regiment. After they had disappeared into the night, Kit slowly made his way back up the steps towards the Palace. He carried the glass slipper carefully. He would have to put it somewhere very safe, so it wouldn't get broken. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was a distant chiming, as the town clock began striking midnight.

In the forecourt, Kit looked up when he heard a commotion starting. He couldn't help but smile when he saw that it was the two ugly sisters being evicted by two guards, along with their mother, Lady Tremaine.

"Your Highness!" the girl who'd forced Kit to dance with her, shouted desperately. "Tell them not to kick us out! Tell them!"

"Be quiet, Anastasia!" Lady Tremaine snapped. "And stop snivelling, Drisella. We must go, now. There is nothing more we can do here."

Lady Tremaine didn't even curtsy to Kit as she passed him, dragging her two daughters along behind her. Shaking his head in disgust, Kit returned inside the Palace.

After Kit had hidden the glass slipper amongst some clothes inside the dresser in his dressing room, he returned to the Throne Room. His father was sitting on his throne again, watching the dancing continue below him. Moving as inconspicuously as he could, Kit managed to slip upstairs to the balcony unnoticed. He quietly stood beside his father's throne.

"Princess Chelina is still here," King Fredrick said quietly.

"I won't dance with her," Kit replied quietly. "We are not well-suited for each other."

King Frederick slowly stood up, squeezing his son's arm as he did so. "I know. And I won't force you to dance with her either. Not now. Did you have a nice discussion with the mystery Princess?"

"I did, father. We had many things to discuss."

"Did you find out her name?"

"No… She was about to tell me, but then she said that she had to leave. I don't know why."

"Perhaps she had a curfew?"

"Perhaps," Kit agreed, although he didn't believe it. _Nobody who goes to a ball should have to worry about curfews._

"She spoke to me, you know." King Frederick continued. "On her way out."

Kit looked curiously at his father. "What did she say?"

"Not much, but it was enough to convince me."

"Of what?" Kit asked, confused.

King Frederick chuckled slightly. "I will tell you when the time is right. Now, I'm retiring for the night. You may stay up as late as you like."

Kit watched as his father left the balcony. Stepping closer to the balustrade, he gazed out at the dancers. He smiled a little when he saw Princess Chelina dancing with a gentleman. Their eyes met for a moment, and they exchanged knowing smiles. They knew they'd both be happy, but not together.

There was nothing else for Kit to do now, but to sit down and wait for Angus and the Grand Duke to get back with the Mystery Princess.

…

Many hours later, in the predawn light, Angus and the Grand Duke returned to the Palace to find that the guests from the ball had dispersed, and the servants were now busily tidying up. Angus paused beside a guard.

"Where's the Prince?" he asked softly.

"I believe he's still in the Throne Room."

Nodding, Angus went in search of Kit. He found the young Prince, still fully dressed, and lying fast asleep on a chaise longue. He hesitated to wake Kit, but he knew that Kit would want to hear a report as soon as possible.

Angus cleared his throat. Kit's eyes instantly flew open. Upon seeing Angus, he sat up abruptly. "What do you have to report, Captain?"

"Nothing as yet, I'm afraid, Your Highness. We have lost all traces of the girl. She simply…vanished. The carriage, the horses… everything."

Kit's heart sank. _She can't have vanished! She must be somewhere…_ He looked up at Angus again. "You are not to give up the search. I want that girl to be found and brought to me as soon as possible."

Angus bowed respectfully. "As you wish, Your Highness."

 **I am so sorry about the delay in updating! I have had many other writing projects to work on lately, and not enough time to work on them, so I decided to take a short break from FanFiction, so I could get on top of them. Thank you so, so much for your encouraging reviews! I am delighted that so many people are enjoying reading the Cinderella story through Kit's eyes.**


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